Fare Rates Reduction Seen

There is a “good chance” of a jeepney and bus fare rollback by December due to the continuing decline of oil prices, an official of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said Wednesday.

Legendary Mexican trainer Ignacio “Nacho” Beristain finds no need for major changes in Oscar De La Hoya’s fighting style when the pay-per-view king tangles with Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao on Dec. 6 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

Erap's Bank Account: Lawyers for The Wellex Group Inc. (TWGI) owned by businessman William Gatchalian submitted a document to the Sandiganbayan naming deposed President Joseph Estrada as the real owner of the Jose Velarde account.

LPG Prices Down

The Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers Association (LPGMA) on Tuesday announced it may slash LPG prices during the week.

Australian police say they have found human remains in the stomach of a giant crocodile captured in a remote area where a fisherman went missing late last month.

Boracay Blues

Hotel owners on the Philippine island of Boracay said on Monday they feared for their investment after a Supreme Court ruling last week that the government owned the land at the country's most famous tourist destination.

How Will Barak Fare?

Tight credit, joblessness, taxes and trade pose tough challenges.

'It's 3 a.m. and your children are safe and asleep. But there's a phone in the White House and it's ringing." Those lines from a Hillary Rodham Clinton campaign commercial invoked images of a president responding in the dead of night to "evil" forces threatening Americans' safety. These days, however, the 3 a.m. phone call to the White House is just as likely to come from the secretary of the Treasury, warning of an Asian stock market plummeting or a European government taking over another major bank. That's not a political scare tactic; it's an all-too-real consequence of the subprime mortgage fiasco.

Once More With Feeling, Gloria Cannot Be Impeached

Less than 24 hours after announcing plans for another impeachment bid against President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, lawmakers backing the complaint now face their first "technicality."

DENR Cebu Recamped

TWO officials of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) 7 were relieved of their positions last week, as part of what Environment Secretary Lito Atienza described as “the continuing organizational development” of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Atienza, in an order dated Sept. 29, 2008, relieved EMB 7 Regional Director Alan C. Arranguez and lawyer Noel C. Empleo, officer-in-charge of the EMB legal division. Arranguez has been transferred to the regional technical division for research of the DENR 7 while Empleo has been returned to the DENR 7 legal division. The order did not state the two officials’ new designations.

Joavan Blues

THE firearms and explosives section of the police has confirmed that Talisay City Mayor Socrates Fernandez’s son Joavan does not own a licensed firearm and is not legally allowed to keep ammunition.

Where's Palin?

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's meteoric rise to prominence on the national political scene after only 21 months in office came about with the help of a media relations and marketing consulting firm hired to draw national attention to the state's proposed natural gas pipeline project. Alaska's Department of Natural Resources paid public relations expert Marcia Brier of Needham, Massachusetts $31,000 to pitch stories to the national media that promoted Palin as the driving force behind the pipeline and getting the state legislature to go along with it. Brier sent press releases to national media outlets portraying Palin as an "upstart governor" and crusader against Big Oil, the same story line Palin now uses in her campaign with John McCain. Some state legislators take exception to the portayal of Palin as the sole force behind the pipeline, when many other people worked on the project. Once the PR campaign began, Palin was away from the Legislature so much that lawmakers started sporting red and white "Where's Sarah?" buttons. Among Brier's past clients is a 23 year-old Saudi prince, Bader al-Saud, whom she helped to get a plea deal in a vehicular homicide case after he was arrested for drinking and driving in Martha's Vineyard in 2005.

Republicans Desperate?

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said more than one person has whispered in her ear in Ohio that John McCain needs "to take the gloves off" in his campaign against Democrat Barack Obama.

Gloria: RP Not Corrupt

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said the image of the country as among the most corrupt in the world stems from a “wrong perception” she blamed on media but an economist said the experience of investors here shows graft is a reality in the Philippines.

Melamine-Safe Milk Products

The Department of Health on Friday declared 20 dairy products as safe for consumption after testing negative for melamine contamination. In a press conference, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the new batch brings to 69 the number of dairy products that have tested negative for the deadly chemical.

RP's New Taxman

A former official of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is being tapped to replace resigned BIR Commissioner Lilian Hefti, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Friday. He said, however, that he could not yet disclose the name of the replacement.

A shallow low pressure area spotted off Southern Leyte, causing rain in most parts of the country, but which will not develop into a tropical storm, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

Oil Drops Again

Oil prices fell $3 to a fresh one-year low below $84 a barrel on Friday, as fears that market turmoil will send demand for fuel slumping outweighed news that OPEC will hold an extraordinary meeting in November.

New GMail Service

In an astonishing pilot service, Google is proposing a new filter on gmail that will prevent you from sending embarrassing or damaging emails when you might not be in total control of your actions.

Billy Does It Again

Billy Joel, who has championed the cause of Long Island, New York, fishermen in songs like "The Downeaster Alexa," is helping with the funeral expenses for a clam-digger whose body was found not far from the singer's mansion.

Pablo Update

Storm signals were hoisted over 32 areas as tropical storm “Pablo” (international codename: Higos) hit land in Easter Samar and began crossing the Bicol Region.

Pablo was located 170 kilometers southeast of Daet, Camarines Norte, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Atronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

It was moving northwest at 19 kilometers per hour with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 80 kilometers per hour.

Signal No. 2 (winds of from 60-100 kilometers per hour) was hoisted over the provinces of Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Ticao Island, Burias Island, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Marinduque, Southern Quezon and Northern Samar.

Signal No. 1 was raised over Metro Manila, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Northern Quezon, Polillo Island, Aurora, Batangas, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, Eastern Samar, Western Samar, Northern Leyte, Northern Cebu, Biliran, Capiz, Northern Iloilo, Northern Antique and Aklan.

Residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes are advised to take precautions against possible flashfloods and landslides while those living in coastal areas under signal No. 2 are alerted against big waves and storm surges.

Pablo was expected to be in the vicinity of Cabanatuan City Wednesday evening, about 310 kilometers northwest of Dagupan City by Thursday evening and 620 kilometers west of Basco, Batanes by Friday evening.