The Manila Times back issues from July 2008:
'Pirates' knock out PacMan with brisk sales of DVDs
Jul 01, 2008; ... Manny Pacquiao may never know who had hit him just hours after he knocked out Mexican David Diaz in their title fight on Sunday in Nevada. But he can be sure these unseen foes are neither boxers nor promoters, they are techno pirates, who have cashed in on his demolition of Mexican ...
The roads that bind us: Traffic-related injuries and deaths come at a staggering cost to society-especially in developing countries like the Philippines
Jul 01, 2008; ... WE are all road users. Poor education, general misconceptions and a low level of awareness have led many Filipinos to mistakenly believe that the issue of road safety impacts only on vehicle owners. But the fact is everybody who uses the streets-be they pedestrians, motorists, peddlers, beggars ...
Suspected terrorist bombers arrested in General Santos: The alleged MILF members are being linked to a series of bombing incidents
Jul 01, 2008; ... GENERAL SANTOS CITY: Government authorities have arrested four suspected terrorist bombers who are said to be members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front's (MILF) special operations group (SOG) tagged responsible for a series of bombing incidents here and nearby South Cotabato ...
MPIC beefs up investment portfolio
Jul 01, 2008 ... Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) will embark on a recapitalization program to give it elbow room to take on more acquisitions and beef up its portfolio of investments, the company announced Monday. In a briefing, company executives said MPIC will be increasing its authorized ...
1 killed, 16 wounded in Baguio grenade blast
Jul 01, 2008; ... BAGUIO CITY: A grenade explosion rocked a billiard hall at Block 4, Hilltop section of the Baguio City Public Market on Sunday night leaving one person dead and 16 others wounded. The grenade was reportedly lobbed inside the Carols billiard hall by still unidentified men at about 7:15 ...
4 killed, 7 injured in Cebu landslide
Jul 01, 2008; ... Four persons, including three children, were killed and seven others were injured in a landslide in Samboan, Cebu City Sunday evening. Reports reaching Camp Crame identified the fatalities as Florence Galia, 30 and her three children, 1-year-old Edwin Jr., four-year-old Nathaniel and ...
ABS-CBN submits evidence on kidnapping
Jul 01, 2008; ... The ABS-CBN news team kidnapped in Sulu on June 8 has formally submitted their supplemental affidavits as well as several videos, compact discs and photographs of the actual kidnapping, making them formal complainants to the case. During the second preliminary investigation on the ...
BSP says inflation may breach10-year high mark in June; peso drops to 8-month low
Jul 01, 2008; ... DEPRECIATION of the peso against the US dollar may have pushed inflation to break a 10-year high mark last month, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Monday. Deputy Gov. Armando L. Suratos, who serves as acting BSP governor, said June inflation may fall within the range of 10.4 ...
Court slaps maximum 40-year prison term on Campbell killer
Jul 01, 2008; ... BAGUIO CITY: A maximum prison term of 40 years and payment of almost P40 million was slapped by a regional trial court against the prime suspect in the killing of United States Peace Corps volunteer Julia Campbell. Judge Esther Pisoco-Flor of the Banaue, Ifugao Regional Trial Court ...
TransCo employees fear job loss
Jul 01, 2008; ... While the Philippine government anticipates huge revenues from the impending privatization of the National Transmission Corp. (TransCo), the state-grid's employees are in state of anxiety over their fate when the sale finally comes to pass. Fernando Masapol, Mindanao Transco Employees ...
Worn-out flags burned, ritual burial followed in special grave
Jul 01, 2008; ... BALANGA City, Bataan: Some 100 worn-out Philippine flags were burned and its ashes buried Friday afternoon in a special grave known as "Himlayan ng Watawat" constructed by the Bataan police command at Camp Tolentino in Balanga City. As a police squad rendered the 21-gun salute, Senior ...
Senators question reward given to Customs officials, employees
Jul 01, 2008; ... The legality of the P402-million reward to Customs officials led by Customs Commissioner Napoleon Morales for allegedly exceeding their collection target in 2006 was questioned Monday at a joint Senate hearing. Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Services, ...
Skarlet catharsi: The artist formerly known as Myra turns her back on a lifetime of abuse
Jul 01, 2008; ... She won Best Jazz Recording Artist and Best Producer at the 2007 Awit Awards for her highly acclaimed 2006 album The Powder Room Stories. She is the proprietor and chanteuse of Bar TEN 02, a bona fide jazz den with Art Deco appeal and mouthwatering cuisine where jazz, ska, blues, reggae and rock ...
Sulpicio blames Del Monte on toxic cargo on 'Princess'
Jul 01, 2008; ... Embattled shipping firm Sulpicio Lines Inc. blamed Del Monte Philippines for allegedly failing to declare its toxic cargo now apparently threatening the environment and the people in central Philippines and the divers who are retrieving corpses from the sunken Princess of the Stars. Sulpicio ...
Public sector surplus target attainable-DOF
Jul 01, 2008; ... The country will likely meet its target for public sector surplus this year despite the losses of state-run National Food Authority (NFA) and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Department of Finance said Monday. Finance Undersecretary Gil S. Beltran said public agencies can ...
Pumaren optimistic of back-to-back title campaign
Jul 01, 2008; ... IF other University Athletics Association of the Philippines coaches will be asked, the quest for a back-to-back title for De La Salle University is possible but coach Franz Pumaren is not taking his competitors lightly. With the other seven teams beefing up their rosters for the ...
Refrigerated hand tools? Only in the Philippines!
Jul 01, 2008; ... This one's definitely for Ripley's Believe It or Not. Hand tools imported from South Korea arrived at the Port of Manila on board reefer vans. Any ordinary person would have been suspicious of why hand tools had to be refrigerated, but people at the Bureau of Customs are no ordinary ...
RP food makers bag huge orders from Taipei
Jul 01, 2008; ... Philippine food companies are eyeing to take home more than twofold the amount of orders from international buyers in the Taipei International Food Show held this month, which this year was joined by some of the country's food giants. According to the Manila Economic and Cultural Office ...
RP foreign debt rises in Q1
Jul 01, 2008; ... The Philippines' outstanding external debt was slightly higher in the first quarter of the year than in the same period last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said Monday. In a statement, the BSP said outstanding foreign debt stood at $54.6 billion in January to March, wee ...
Sandigan resets Perez pre-trial, arraignment
Jul 01, 2008; ... THE Sandiganbayan Second Division on Monday has re-scheduled the pre-trial proceedings of former Justice Secretary Hernando "Nani" Perez for charges of robbery extortion on the basis of the accusation of former Rep. Mark Jimenez of Manila in connection with the alleged $2-million extortion try ...
RP, US Agriculture agencies seal agreement for food security
Jul 01, 2008; ... THE Philippines and the United States Department of Agriculture recently signed a bilateral agreement in the areas of farm productivity, food security and sustainable natural resources management. Agriculture Assistant Secretary Josyline Javelosa, who accompanied Agriculture Secretary ...
Sex and billboards Part I
Jul 01, 2008; ... Recently, a billboard for a garment retailer went up along EDSA featuring a model with no upper clothing with her back to the camera. This would have been just another in the long series of billboards showing partial nudity along the main highway except for one thing: the actress is a primetime ...
Mayor, brother linked to P54-M infrastructure bidding scam
Jul 01, 2008; ... LEGAZPI CITY: Prominent local contractors urged Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap to nullify the bidding of its P54 million ADB-funded farm-to-market road project in Camalig, Albay on May 14 bidding saying the reported manipulation of its proceedings by a mayor and his brother, who is a ...
Neri on the way out of higher education body: Former economic planning secretary reportedly groomed to head the Social Security System
Jul 01, 2008; ... After having his name dragged into the $329-million national broadband scandal and being criticized by various educational institutions, Commission on Higher Education acting chair Romulo Neri is reportedly on the way out of the agency by August. Sources inside the commission also said ...
Now back home, GMA pushes for disaster readiness
Jul 01, 2008; ... Fresh from her 10-day visit to the United States, President Gloria Arroyo will visit worst-hit Aklan province today to tour damaged areas and assess devastation wrought by Typhoon Frank, assuring that her government would "get to the bottom of this terrible tragedy." "We have demanded a ...
Pinoys out of Malaysia
Jul 01, 2008 ... IT'S worrisome that no responsible Filipino public official has reacted officially to Malaysia's plan to deport thousands of undocumented overseas workers, mostly Indonesians and Filipinos, from Borneo. On Wednesday, Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak announced Kuala Lumpur ...
Palace allies linked to Pagcor project
Jul 01, 2008; ... First of two parts A COMPANY that has neither track record in the gaming business nor proven financial capability to back up a multibillion-peso enterprise is poised to become the newest investor in the ambitious "Tourism City" project of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp ....
Enrile backs cancellation of Sulpicio franchise
Jul 01, 2008; ... Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile said Monday that he would support any move to cancel the franchise of Sulpicio Lines, the owner of the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars. "Its franchise should have been cancelled a long time ago," he said. "A spate of four or five accidents is unforgivable," he ...
How Pacquiao destroyed the house of Diaz
Jul 01, 2008; ... LIKE a termite working its way into a mansion, Manny Pacquiao destroyed World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight champion David Diaz Sunday brick by brick. By the time Diaz answered the bell for the ninth round, the American was on the verge of a major collapse, his foundation having been ...
Layoso, Posadas dominate ABF Tour
Jul 01, 2008 ... NATIONAL team member Benshir Layoso defeated compatriot Chester King, 239-234, to win the men's title in the Asian Bowling Federation (ABF) Tour Philippines leg Sunday at the SM Bowling Center. The 38-year-old Layoso also became the fifth bowler in the ABF Tour history to win the ...
Desilting Gugu Creek priority of province
Jul 01, 2008; ... BACOLOR, Pampanga: The provincial government is rushing the desilting of Gugu Creek in this lahar-buried town to save tributary barangays from massive flooding this rainy season. Provincial capitol authorities have urged barangay officials in barangays Cabalantian, Mesalipit, Talba and ...
M2M set to get Manila talking
Jul 01, 2008; ... THE excitement is building up to a special date in the relatively short but undoubtedly illustrious life of the Renaissance Makati City Hotel when on July 8 it will host an exclusive by-invitation only grand opening bash to launch M2M (Morning to Midnight, in case you wondered) and Cinnabar-its ...
Filipinos from hijacked ship returning home
Jul 01, 2008; ... The five Filipino seamen on board the Dutch vessel that was hijacked in international waters off the coast of Somalia a month ago are set to return to Manila on Tuesday. According to Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Claro Cristobal, the Filipino crew of the MV Amiya Scan, ...
Agriculture rehabilitation budget to be adjusted
Jul 02, 2008; ... AGRICULTURE officials are currently revising the P600 million farm rehabilitation plan, which was originally proposed to Malacañang, to extend financial aid to the still increasing number of affected stakeholders in 10 storm-battered regions. Total damage to agriculture and fisheries from ...
Torre, Antonio renew rivalry
Jul 02, 2008 ... WITH the renaissance of Philippine chess, Grandmasters Eugene Torre and Joey Antonio Jr. hope to do their own share by renewing their rivalry in a six-game series reminiscent of the same one-on-one duel they had a decade ago. The rematch between two of the country's early GMs kicks off ...
Blazers, Altas eye solo lead
Jul 02, 2008; ... OPENING day winners College of St. Benilde Blazers and University of Perpetual Help Altas dispute early leadership in the 84th National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome. The Altas surprised San Sebastian Stags, 60-55, while the ...
Air Force heroism cited
Jul 02, 2008; ... THE Philippine Air Force gave recognition to some of its personnel and civilians for heroism and exemplary deeds during the celebration of its 61st founding anniversary held in Lapu Lapu City. Air Force Public Information Chief Gerardo Zamudio Jr., said their personnel underscore the ...
When breathing becomes an ordeal: Emphysema afflicts not only the old
Jul 02, 2008; ... Emphysema, a major chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, has become a buzzword in the Internet lately. This, after it was reported that critically acclaimed English singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse was diagnosed with early signs of the ailment. Winehouse's case shatters the ...
Anscor sells part of Phelps Dodge Phils.
Jul 02, 2008; ... A. SORIANO Corp. (Anscor) said it has sold almost a fifth of its Phelps Dodge Philippines Inc. (PDPI) stake to General Cable Co. of Canada (GCC). In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the holding company of the Soriano family said it has entered into a Deed of Assignment for ...
A second Green Revolution
Jul 02, 2008 ... The need for a second Asian Green Revolution amid a growing world food and rice crisis became a dominant theme at the Asian-European Editors Forum recently in Bangkok, Thailand. The forum gathered journalists and rice experts from Asia and Europe in a discussion of policy issues on the ...
Burgundy Global, Union Fenosa sign joint venture contract on Sulu project
Jul 02, 2008; ... BURGUNDY Global Exploration Corp. (BGEC) has inked a joint venture with Union Fenosa Gas, S.A. of Spain for the latter's petroleum service contract (SC) area in the Sulu Sea. Under the agreement, Union Fenosa will take in a 40-percent stake in BGEC's SC 62 for $200 million. BGEC will ...
SMIC sets borrowing anew to refinance debt
Jul 02, 2008; ... SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) said it would borrow anew to refinance its outstanding debt. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, the holding company of the Sy family of SM fame said its board of directors approved the issuance of fixed-rate bonds. The conglomerate tapped UBS ...
Senior survives train crash
Jul 02, 2008; ... On his way to an appointment, a 75-year old accountant miraculously escaped death unscathed after his car was hit by a train Tuesday morning. PO3 Marcel Suriaga of the Manila Police District-Station 6 identified the unhurt driver of a Honda Accord as Antonio Lapid, a resident of 2819 ...
Source electricity from grid, Meralco prods self-generating industries
Jul 02, 2008; ... MANILA Electric Co. (Meralco) is urging self-generating industries to source their electricity from the grid and its residential customers to avail of its time-of-use (TOU) rates to help reduce the cost of power in the country. Jesus Fransisco, Meralco president and chief operating ...
Pancake House to open more stores, foresees double-digit profit growth
Jul 02, 2008 ... PANCAKE House Inc. (PHI) aids its profit may still rise by double digits despite climbing inflation as it plans to open more stores and grow its newly acquired business. Martin Lorenzo, PHI chairman and chief executive, said the company's net income may hit P60 million to P90 million, ...
Three Senate bodies set hearings on endosulfan: Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority to be questioned on the lifting of the ban on the pesticide; Sulpicio won't be spared
Jul 02, 2008; ... Three Senate committees will hold two separate hearings on the lifting of the ban on endosulfan, a highly toxic pesticide, and on its being transported by the ill-fated MV Princess of the Stars. The Senate Committee on Public Services headed by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile will look into the ...
Senator questions geothermal expansion in Negros Occidental: Gov. Zayco remains unfazed by Sen. Pia Cayetano's call for inquiry
Jul 02, 2008; ... BACOLOD CITY: In an apparent signal to stop meddling in local affairs, Gov. Isidro Zayco of Negros Occidental questioned the authority of Sen. Pia Cayetano urging him to defer the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the Energy Development Corp. (EDC) with regards to the latter's geothermal ...
Govt rejects bids for 7-year debt issues
Jul 02, 2008; ... THE government on Tuesday rejected bids for seven-year Treasury bonds or IOUs it had planned to sell after investors sought high rates. Had the government accepted banks' bids, the yield for the re-issued seven-year T-bond would have risen to 8.818 percent from the 8.495 percent during ...
The quality assessment of government services
Jul 02, 2008; ... The World's third largest employer after the Chinese Army and the Indian Railways-the UK's National Health Service is to introduce a system by which patients will rate the quality of their medical care by the system and subsequent funding (by Government) will be given relative to the level of ...
Stock market drops to 21-month low on inflation fears
Jul 02, 2008 ... SHARE prices of local companies tumbled Tuesday to a 21-month low on fears that continuous oil price hikes, double-digit inflation and a slowing economy may hurt corporate earnings, analysts said. The 30-company Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi)-the barometer for stock price ...
Phivolcs warns of Mt. Mayon erupting anytime
Jul 02, 2008; ... LEGAZPI CITY: The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) in Bicol said Mount Mayon is exhibiting an increase in crater glow, with ground deformation and tremors that indicate a build up of magma suggesting possible explosion. Ed Laguerta, Phivolcs chief in Bicol ...
Peso back at P45 to the dollar on oil, consumer price worries
Jul 02, 2008; ... DESPITE the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas' (BSP) intervention in the spot market, the peso on Tuesday fell through the 45-to-a-dollar level on rising fears of runaway inflation after the central bank's warning Monday that consumer price increases last month accelerated to the double-digit ...
RP bowlers compete in Asian bowling tilt
Jul 02, 2008 ... THE country's national bowling team bannered by seeded players Paulo Valdez, Chester King and Biboy Rivera leaves Wednesday to compete in the 20th Asian Bowling Championships on July 5 to 11 in Hong Kong, China. The three bowlers will be joined by Raoul Miranda, Benshir Layoso and ...
Ex-housing officials face 64 counts of graft
Jul 02, 2008; ... THE Office of the Ombudsman on Tuesday indicted before the Sandiganbayan for 64 counts of criminal charges former officials of the National Home Mortgage Finance Corp. Among those who were charged by Ombudsman Maria Merceditas Navarro-Gutierrez were Obed Cutaran, former executive vice ...
Government troops, NPA rebels clash in Mindanao
Jul 02, 2008; ... ZAMBOANGA CITY: Government troops clashed Tuesday with the New People's Army (NPA) as security forces continue to battle communist insurgents in the southern Philippines, a military spokesman said. Lt. Col. Kurt Decapia, a spokesman for the Army's 10th Infantry Division, said Special ...
Four suspects who robbed police officer arrested
Jul 02, 2008; ... MARIVELES, Bataan: Police arrested four suspects who robbed a police officer of his service firearm and other belongings in his residence in Mariveles town at dawn of Monday. Senior Supt. Manuel Gaerlan, Bataan police director, identified the suspects as Jake Sambrono, 22, alleged Akyat ...
Pag-IBIG allots P1.5B for typhoon victims
Jul 02, 2008; ... The Pag-IBIG Fund has allocated P1.5 billion pesos to help areas placed under a state of calamity because of Typhoon Frank. At the Department of Education, the estimated cost of damages to 971 school buildings from the typhoon has already reached P506 million. In a statement, ...
Electric jeepneys start operating in Makati City
Jul 02, 2008; ... Mayor Jejomar Binay of Makati City on Tuesday led the inauguration of the first official operation of locally made electric-powered jeepneys (e-jeepneys), an environmental-friendly public utility vehicle which will service office employees and residents in both Legazpi and Salcedo Villages at ...
MNLF faction elects new chief but Misuari has larger following
Jul 02, 2008; ... GENERAL SANTOS CITY: A ranking officer of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) has confirmed the ongoing crisis within the organization, stressing that Chairman Nur Misuari still has the larger following. The leadership row was triggered by the election in April of Cotabato City ...
Monte Oro to expedite Sampaguita buy-in, paving way for full-service contract
Jul 02, 2008; ... MONTE Oro Resources & Energy Inc. is set to fast track its buy in into Forum Energy Plc's petroleum contract covering the high-frontier Sampaguita oil and gas discovery in offshore Palawan. In a statement, Forum Energy said that Monte Oro has consented to changes in the agreement ...
Galoc development to remain economically viable despite cost overruns due to delays
Jul 02, 2008; ... DELAYS in the Galoc field's development program have resulted in a substantial increase in the project's cost, Alfredo Ramos, Philodrill Corp. president, said. In the company's annual report to its stockholders, the Philodrill official said that the contractual and operational delays in ...
Nierras wins gold in Asian Athletics Grand Prix
Jul 02, 2008 ... VETERAN internationalist Julius Nierras bagged the country's lone gold medal in the final leg of the 2008 Asian Athletics Grand Prix in Mydinh National Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam. Nierras crossed the line just right in time to rule the men's 400-meter run in 47.36 seconds and put himself ...
FEATURE: 100 worn-out Philippine flags burned, ritual burial followed
Jul 02, 2008; ... BALANGA City, Bataan: Some 100 worn-out Philippine flags were burned and its ashes buried Friday afternoon in a special grave known as "Himlayan ng Watawat" constructed by the Bataan police command at Camp Tolentino in Balanga City. As a police squad rendered the 21-gun salute, Senior ...
Guam's Cruz optimistic against RP's Tagacay
Jul 02, 2008 ... JUSTIN CRUZ of Fokai Guam expressed optimism in his forthcoming duel with Filipino bantamweight champion Lino "The Terminator" Tagacay in the Colt 45 Universal Reality Combat Championship XII "Supremacy" slated July 5 at the A. Venue Events Hall in Makati City. "My chances of winning is ...
Giants in crucial tiff against Express
Jul 02, 2008 ... THE Purefoods TJ Giants are hoping that the Air21 Express will take a holiday on Wednesday. The Giants stay in the hunt for an outright quarterfinal berth after winning against their Philippine Cup tormentors Sta. Lucia Realtors in their last outing, 104-89. With eight wins in ...