Legazpi City -- The National Power Corporation (NPC) who tokk over the operation and management of the Albay Electric Cooperative (ALECO) on Monday vowed to initiate aggressive reforms to uplift the financially distressed electric cooperative. Engr. German Silva, NPC-ALECO operation and management manager said they would adopt reforms that would bring down the high system losses of the cooperative, upgrade antiquated distribution facilities and strengthen the reliability of electric power to consumers. These are the primary concerns that the NPC would undertake following the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the two entities last July 16, this year. Silva said "we have to address first the runaway system losses which have been placed at 23 percent, improved power capacity including the reliability of power, then we move in improving the financial capability of the cooperative." At the press conference on Tuesday, he said the NPC would see to it that the systems losses would be brought down from the high level of 23 percent to the allowable level of 14 percent. Lorna T. Dy, NPC-ALECO member in-charge of administration said the cooperative owes the NPC P1.6 billion in outstanding power bills while it has also an outstanding account of P400 million to the National Transmission corp. (TRANSCO). Dy emphasized that there will be no condonation of the outstanding account rather the government power firm would do away with the usual P11 million monthly interest service charges for delayed payments of electric bills imposed on the cooperative. She said, "the non imposition of interest and service charges would give ALECO P132 million in savings, and this may be used for other operating expenses." Under the NPC and ALECO agreement the NPC would take over for a period of one-year the operation and maintenance (O&M)of the electric cooperative as part of the rehabilitation program for ALECO. The rehab plan offers a one-year moratorium by dceferring payment of back interest and service charges. The MOA signed by NPC President Cyril Del Callar, ALECO Chairman and President Rodolfo Bonafe and ALECO Acting Manager Samson Madrideo states that the NPC would extend technical and financial expertise to the electric cooperative to enable it to recover from its huge indebtedness. But under the MOA the electric cooperative would pay a 2 percent service fee for every power procured from NPC, equivalent to P1.8 million in monthly fee to be used by the team for their incidental expenses. Meanwhile Albay Gov. Hoey Sarte Salceda said lauded the partnership saying that electric consumers in the province would no longer fear the threat of the apparent notice of disconnection due for the failure of Aleco to settle their outstanding power bills with the NPC. 

NAGA CITY – Padagos pa man giraray an pagpapasakit kan motocycle gang sa syudad nin Naga makalihis na liwat na naman na mag-operar. An insidente nangyari pocomas humenos alas una nin hapon kansubago sa kalabaan kan Panganiban Drive. Ini makaagi na hipaan kan tolong persona na nakalunad sa motorsiklo an behikulo na kolor gray na Nissan Exalta with plate number EDK-888 kan negocianteng si Edgardo Roxas asin agom kani na si Rosario, may kagrugaring kan Edrox Construction. Sa istorya ni Rosario pinaputokan kan mga armadong suspechado an ruweda kan sasakyan kan makoa na an kwarta gikan sa saiya tanganing dae na sinda makalamag pa. Inot kani pigtutukan sinda nin badil kan saro sa tolong mga suspechado mantang nagserbing look out an duwa pang pag-iriba. Sapiritan na pinagpabukasan an bentana kan sasakyan asin pirit na inagaw an leather bag na may laman nin kwarta. Sigon pa man ki Mrs. Roxas na kan makapangodto sinda sa sarong restaurant nagderetso na sinda sa Land Bank Naga asin nagwithraw nin kantidad P500 mil pesos. Apwera man kaiyan, haros igwa pa siyang kulang-kulang dos sientos mil de pesos na dati nang nakabugtak sa bag na kutana ipapasueldo sa saindang mga empleado. Kaibahan pa man sa nawara iyu an Nokia cellphone,pasaporte asin man iba-ibang ATM asin Credit Cards. Sinabi pa man ni Rosario na sa grabi soboot na katakutan asin paghuna na an nadangog na putok kan badil tuminama sa saiyang agom napiritan niyang itao an bag. Nagdurar nin magkapirang minutos an paghoholdup asin tolos na nagdurulag an mga suspetsado.

Albay - Ipinahayag Joel Ascutia, chairman kan Condor Piston Bicol na 98% naparalisar an biyahe kan mga pampublikong lulunadan sa rehiyong Bikol sa ikaduwang aldaw kan saindang transports strike. Sinabi ni Ascutia na 100% na paralisado an biyahe sa Sorsogon, 99% sa Albay, 98% sa Camarines Norte asin Catanduanes mantang 70% sa Camarines Sur asin mayong nakisumaro sa provincia kan Masbate dahilan sa mawot soboot kan transport groups duman na magsaguibo na sana nin rally. Maguiguirumduman na kasuogma dai nakisabay an provincia kan Catanduanes sa primerong aldaw kan untok-pasada alagad ngonian na pagkaaldaw nakisumaro ini. Mientrastanto, sa kabilugan nagin matrangkilo man an pagsasaguibo kan duwang aldaw na untok-pasada kan transport groups sa Bicol region na katuyuhan na ipaabot sa gobierno an pagkontra sa padagos na paglangkaw kan presyo kan produktong petrolyo sa nasyon.

LEGAZPI CITY-- Nailubong na an bangkay kan tolong bulan na omboy na pigsaksak kan saiya man sanang sadiring ama digdi sa Legazpi City. Sigon ki Major Rolly Esguerra, hepe kan Legazpi city PNP na kasuogmang hapon kan diretso ng ihatod kan mga kaparyentes kani sa Legazpi City Public Cemetery an bangkay kan biktima. Maguiguirumduman kan nakalihis na aldaw nin Lunes kan mangyari an makangurungirhat na paggadan kan suspetsado na si Rudy Briones kan Barangay San Roque, Legazpi sa saiyang sadiring aki kun saen pinagsaksak ini kan 18 pulgadang patarom na tuminagos hasta likod kan omboy na iyu an kawsa kan tulos kaning pagkagadan. Sinasabing rason kan pananaksak iyo na dae na kayang tustusan ni Briones an gatas kan aki. Mientrastanto, guikan sa PNP Headquarters naibalyo na man sa City Jail an suspek makalihis na pormal ng sangatan nin kasong parricide sa piskalya kan nakalihis na aldaw.

Masbate – Pinagbabadil-gadan kan dai pa madeterminaran na mga armadong kalalakihan an sarong lineman sa provincia nin Masbate. Pinagbisto an biktima na si Jaime Nava y Cebu, 42 anyos, residente kan Bgy. Poblacion Batuan, asin lineman kan Ticao Island Electric Cooperative (TICELCO). Basado sa impormasyon kan Masbate PPO, bandang alas-7:40 nin pagkaaga kasuogma mantang pasiringon sa TICELCO sa San Jacinto kan pag-abot soboot sa may parte kan Sitio Sirangan, San Fernando kan bigla na sanang pagbabadilon kan nasa walong kalalakihan na nakasulot nin camouflage. Huli naman sa sinapo na tama nin bala sa manlaen-laen na parte kan saiyang lawas kun kaya tulos man ining binawian buhay. Pinaglalay man gikan sa biktima an cellphone, wallet na pano nin cash huli ta gikan pa sana man ini sa pagkolekta asin mga personal na gamit. Narecover man sa pinangyarihan kan insidente an duwang basyo kan M-16 rifle.Sa ngonian padagos na pig-aaram kan mga otoridad an pinakamotibo sa sinambit ng pambabadil.

Pamplona, Camarines Sur -- At least 11 people died and 35 others were injured when two passenger busses collided at dawn yesterday along the Maharlika Highway in Pamplona town in Camarines Sur, the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Bicol said. Police report said the mishap took place at about 3:00AM Tuesday at a long stretch of the Maharlika Highway at barangay San Ramon in Pamplona town some 30 kilometers from Naga City. The report said the bus collision involve a Executive Carrier bus (PWB 356) from Manila bound to this city and a Silver Star bus (TYK 273) bound for Metro Manila from Samar, Eastern Visayas. The two buses were negotiating the Mahallika highway early morning of Tuesday at said village when the head on collision occurred killing eight passengers on the spot while thress others passenger were declared dead on arrival at the Bicol Medical Center (BMC) in Naga City where they were rushed by rescuers together with 35 others for medical treatment. Police identified the casualties from the Silver Star bus were Eric Mahillo of Tayabas, Quezon, Jenny Carter of Makati city, Dominador Carreon of Antipolo City, Ricardo Pasaan of Cavite city and Godofredo Garcia, while four victims from the Executive Carrier are yet to be identified. Danilo Ebloy from Abuyog, Leyte and Dennis Salcedo died upon reaching the BMC hospital while 35 other passengers are now being treated at the BMC and some of them are in critical condition, this according to attending physicians. Police investigators are still determining the cause of the mishap but probers said one of the drivers of the two bus might have slept while cruising the long strtch of the Maharlika Highway in Pamplona town.

Legazpi City -- The opening day of the two day nationwide transport strike in Bicol fizzled out yesterday after militant transport group could not gather enough steam to successfully stage a transport strike, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol said. Militant transport group was only able to paralyze thousands of commuters in the provinces of Albay, Sorsogon and Camarines Norte while Camarines sur and the island provinces of Masbate, Catandunes, did not join the strike. The Concerned Drivers and Operators (CONDOR/Piston) in Bicol said 80 percent of local busses, jeepneys, trimobiles plying the routes in the Alb ay, Sorsogon and Camarines Norte joined the two-day nationwide transport strike. Condor-Bicol with 11,350 strong members, said it has mobilized majority of its members to join the nationwide strike posting a 70 percent participation in Albay; 80 percent in Sorsogon, and 90 percent in Camarines Norte. Condor-Bicol started its strike as early as 7:00AM Monday until 12:00midnight yesterday, they also have set up mass action centers in capital towns and cities across the region. The militant transport group were demanding for the scrapping of the Oil Deregulation Law, and EVat. Classes in all levels in albay, sorsogon and Camarines Norte were suspended but despite the transport strike, private and government offices across the region were open including banks, malls and other commercial establishments. Bus operation plying the Legazpi-Manila and vice versa were allowed to do their regular routes. In Albay, Gov. Joey Sarte Salceda has deployed military and government vehicles to ply the streets and provide free transportation to commuters. Navy Commodore Alberto Araojo, commander of the Naval Forces Southern Luzon based in this city said he has dispatched six units 6X6 trucks to assist commuters plying the route Legazpi Daraga and vice versa. The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Bicol is on full alert and has set up police assistance centers to assist stranded commuters and prevent untoward incidents during the strike. No untoward incident happened, the police said.

Legazpi City -- For an improved economic, social, performance, one of the country's top economist gives President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo a very satisfactory grade. Albay Governor Joey Sarte Salceda, a top economist, said he gave President Arroyo an eight point score from a performance scale of 1 to 10. Salceda a student of Arroyo during his college years in Ateneo said "the student now grades his teacher, and I gave her a grade 90 for her performance in handling the country despite local and foreign barriers." At a national television talk show, Salceda said he gave a passing grade because of her track records in the fields of social, economic, health, and infrastructure development of the country. Achievements cited includes: PhilHealth "Para sa Masa" cards; land distribution; TESDA vouchers; power privatization at 50 percent; energy independence at 56 percent; 30 million passengers utilizing the Roll on Roll off (RORO) facilities nationwide; Ph26 billion housing loans granted; and Ph. 11 billion agriculture budget. He however, admitted that high poverty incidence and snail pace of government project are factors that hinders the state of the country's economy. At the talkshow former Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno also a top economist blames the balooning population as the main reason for the high poverty incidence in the country.

Naga City -- Led by Most Rev. Msgr. Jose Rojas, Jr., Bishop of the prelature of Libmanan, the convenors of the Camarines Sur Summit on Climate Change (CSSCC), said that the forum aims to deepen the peoples' understanding on climate change and global warming and initiate harmonized action to help address the problem thru a multi-sectoral consultative and action planning conference. According to former Naga City Councilor Julian Lavadia, Jr., a noted local environmentalist and one of the prime movers of the summit, the conference set on July 29 at the St. Peter Baptist Center, Holy Rosary Major Seminary here, will be attended by representatives of the cross section of the community. Department of Energy Secretary Angelo Reyes, Jr., a former secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and now chairman of Task Force Climate Change will be one of the speakers. Among those expected to grace the occasion are local officials of the province Camarines Sur and the cities of Naga and Iriga. Father Granwell Pitapit, executive director of the Summit, said the CSSCC hopes to achieve better understanding by the people in local communities on the subject of climate change and global warming, their causes, impacts and solutions. It hopes to formalize the network of groups and individuals who are committed in helping address this problem for greater impact and effectiveness. " We envision the formulation of concrete, practical and localized solutions to be implemented by each of the participating sectors", Pitapit further disclosed. A clear understanding of the issues on global warming has not substantially trickled down to the common citizen to a level that would motivate the private citizens into action, according to Pitapit. He pointed out that despite the people's continuing talk about global warming, with non-government organizations, educational institutions, civil society groups and other organizations starting their own initiatives and projects on climate change, the independent actions seem to lack impact due to a lack of harmonization of efforts. Pitapit said man's mismanagement of the world's resources has aggravated these with the ill- effects of global warming. "The higher intensity of typhoons, the higher levels of rainfall and the extreme droughts have made the people more susceptible to calamities and pushed them into greater depths of poverty." Locally, he noted that the topography and location of the province of Camarines Sur have made it vulnerable to the destructive winds of typhoons and the overflow of rivers and lakes from heavy rains.

Legazpi City -- The PNP has a firm commitment to safeguard and respect human rights in the discharge of day-to-day operations and to allay fears of human rights violations committed both by those in government and plain citizens. In its imperative to instill observance and practice as a mandated duty among personnel of Police Regional Office in Bicol (PRO5), a one-day Human Rights Seminar was conducted. The seminar was focused on the indispensable need for observance and respect for human rights by the police, an organization primarily tasked of maintaining peace and order and as frontliners in the management of mass actions. Atty. Maygee A. Nieves from the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) served as guest lecturer and resource speaker to 100 PNP personnel in Bicol at the seminar held at PRO5 Multi-Purpose Building. P/CSup't. Paterno P. Bangui said the thrust of the seminar focused on the proper and humane demeanor every law enforcer has to observe, internalize and put into practice in responding and dealing with situations requiring the use of reasonable force, but without transgressing individual rights, and not compromising legitimate police operational procedures. Bangui said the seminar was designed to refresh the PNP as it anticipates and gears for mass action in connection with the forthcoming State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on July 28, 2008. Bangui expressed confidence that with the legal knowledge Atty. Nieves has imparted, the PRO5 personnel gained knowledge on the guiding principles of action in their day-to-day performance of duty.