Philippine News and Current Events

Naruto Shippuuden 117 ” Jugo of the North Hideout ”

2009-07-11T16:05:00.001+08:00

Enjoy!

World's Most Expensive Cities To Live

2009-07-11T13:36:00.002+08:00

Think your morning commute is expensive? Think again. The ride on a bus or subway in Tokyo costs $3.25. Grab a newspaper and a cup of coffee on the way and the total comes to $11.70. That's more than anywhere else in the world--24% more than what those same things cost in New York, even.

Tokyo is the world's most expensive city, according to Mercer's 2009 Worldwide Cost of Living survey released today, with the cost of living up 13.1% from 2008; the city ranked at No. 2 in 2008's survey. Japan's capital is followed by Osaka and Moscow, which held the top spot in last year's rankings. Geneva comes in fourth.

The significant changes from last year are due to massive swings in exchange rates, with many currencies at their weakest in years against the U.S. dollar, during the March 2009 survey period. Because of this, New York moved up 14 spaces to No. 8 from No. 22. London dropped to No. 16 from No. 3 as the pound dropped as low as 1.37 against the U.S. dollar during the study period. Six months earlier, one pound was worth $1.86.

"Changes in exchange rate tend to be one of the major drivers, I would argue the major driver, in cost of living," says Rebecca Powers, a principal consultant at Mercer. Even with the U.S. dollar weakening over the past four months--it's now worth $1.65--due in part to the Obama administration's stimulus package, the cost of living in London, when measured against the value of the U.S. dollar, is significantly lower than it was a year ago, when the pound was worth more than $2.

Other notable jumps from last year's ranking to this year's are Dubai, which moved to No. 20 from No. 52, and Caracas, which moved to No. 15 from No. 89. Both climbed so quickly because the local currencies are pegged to the greenback; the more the dollar's value increased, so did the cost of living in those places (but Caracas also has a high rate of inflation, pushing up prices for basic goods).

All U.S. cities included in the ranking also experienced a rise, including Los Angeles, up 32 places, and Washington, D.C., up 41 places.
Behind the Numbers

To generate its ranking of the world's most expensive cities, Mercer, an international consulting firm, looked at more than 200 cities across six continents, examining the cost of over 200 items in each location, including housing, food, clothing, transport, household goods and entertainment to calculate an overall cost of living. The survey is used to help multinational companies determine compensation packages for employees living abroad. Mercer uses New York as the base city for the index and scores the cost of living there at 100 points. Cities scoring higher are more expensive; lower than 100, and they're cheaper. All cities included in the ranking are in comparison to New York, and currency is measured against the U.S. dollar.

"Since we're polling those places in a local environment, we're getting costs in a local currency," Powers says. "When the currencies fluctuate, that has a significant affect on costs." Powers says these cost fluctuations are making multinational companies reassess the need for expansion abroad.

"Companies have been much more guarded about their investments," she says. "While you can still argue that there is interest in emerging markets, the general pattern of money flowing into the same markets was interrupted when companies started looking at their money."

Johannesburg, South Africa (No. 143) bottoms out the complete list of cities with a score of 49.6. Also at the tail end are Monterrey, Mexico (No. 142), and Asuncion, Paraguay (No. 141).
Tokyo Steady, Shaky Everywhere Else

The main constant in these rankings, since Mercer's first set was released in 1994, is Tokyo's place at or close to the top. Osaka has only fallen outside the top 10, once, when it slipped to the No. 11 spot last year. While the value of the yen is strong against the dollar, Japan--and Tokyo in particular--has always featured prominently due to the high cost of international goods, says Mercer senior researcher Nathalie Constantin-Metral. One can count on Japan being expensive in good times and bad alike for the yen.

But there's no telling what will happen in a place like Moscow--which zoomed up to the top spot last year, and fell out of it this year. It will all depend, says Constantin-Metral, on the performance of Russia's currency. The ruble had been on a long, steady climb against the greenback as of March 2008; but it bottomed out at the beginning of March 2009. It's been on a recovery trajectory ever since, but still has a long way to go. Either way, the rankings make clear that the more the ruble slips, the less expensive a city Moscow becomes.

American cities, then, have more in common with a place like Moscow than anywhere in Japan. The more the dollar--and prices--move, the more or less expensive U.S. cities get, which means it's all up in the air as to what will happen over the year ahead. Tokyo and Osaka may be expensive, but at least everyone knows it for certain. Just about everywhere else, it seems, nobody knows for sure what the cost of living is like until the year is already in the rear-view mirror.
World's Top Five Most Expensive Cities To Live

1. Tokyo, Japan

2. Osaka, Japan

3. Moscow, Russia

4. Geneva, Switzerland

5. Hong Kong

forbes.com

Bottled Water Unsafe to Drink?

2009-07-09T20:36:00.003+08:00

Consumers know less about the water they pay dearly for in bottles than what they can drink almost for free from the tap because the two are regulated differently, congressional investigators and nonprofit researchers say in new reports.

Both the Government Accountability Office and the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, recommend in reports released Wednesday that bottled water be labeled with the same level of information municipal water providers must disclose.

The researchers urged Americans to make bottled water "a distant second choice" to filtered tap water because there isn't enough information about bottled water. The working group recommends purifying tap water with a commercial filter, however.

Both reports were released at a congressional subcommittee Wednesday morning.

Bottled water — an industry worth about $16 billion in sales last year — has been suffering lately as colleges, communities and some governments take measures to limit or ban its consumption. As employers, they are motivated by cost savings and environmental concern because the bottles often are not recycled.

Bottled water sales were growing by double-digit percentages for years and were helping buoy the U.S. beverage industry overall. But they were flat last year, according to trade publication Beverage Digest.

Beverage Digest editor John Sicher said some consumers are turning on the tap during the recession simply because it's cheaper.

From 1997 to 2007, the amount of bottled water consumed per person in the U.S. more than doubled, from 13.4 gallons to 29.3 gallons, the GAO report said.

The issue before a subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee was less about waste and water quality concerns and more about the mechanics of regulating bottled water.

As a food product, bottled water is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and required to show nutrition information and ingredients on its labels. Municipal water is under the control of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The two agencies have similar standards for water quality, but the FDA has less authority to enforce them, the GAO said, and the environmental agency requires much more testing.

Subcommittee chairman Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., said the subcommittee was requesting information Wednesday from a dozen bottled water companies on their water sources, treatment methods and two years' results of contaminant testing. It was not immediately clear which companies were being contacted.

"Consumers may not realize that many regulations that apply to municipalities responsible for tap water do not apply to companies that produce bottled water," he said in statements opening the hearing.

The GAO noted the FDA has yet to set standards for DEHP, one of several chemicals known as phthalates that are found in many household products, while the EPA limits the presence of phthalates in tap water.

In a survey of officials in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, the GAO found they think consumers are misinformed about bottled water.

"Many replied that consumers often believe that bottled water is safer or healthier than tap water," according to the GAO report.

The Washington, D.C.-based Environmental Working Group said in its report that consumers do not get enough information to determine which water is best for them.

Both groups said some bottled water brands include the same information required of tap water providers on either labels or company Web sites.

The GAO called for more research but said the FDA should start by requiring that bottled water labels tell consumers where to find out more.

Community water systems must distribute annual reports about their water's source, contaminants and possible health concerns.

Consumers should know where all their water comes from, how it is treated and what is found in it, said Richard Wiles, senior vice president for policy and communications for the Environmental Working Group.

"If the municipal tap water systems can tell their customers this information, you would think that bottled water companies that charge 1,000 times more for this water could also let consumers know the same thing," he told The Associated Press.

The bottled water industry's trade group, the International Bottled Water Association, planned to testify Wednesday that the product, — subject to the same regulation as other soft drinks, teas, juices and other beverages — is safe. Additional standards apply for bottled water products labeled as "purified water" or "spring water," among other labels, because they must prove a connection to those sources, according to planned testimony from Joseph Doss, president and chief executive of the International Bottled Water Association.

Doss said consumers can learn about bottled water by contacting the company, reading its Web site and visiting sites run by state governments.

State safeguards for bottled water often exceed the federal, though they are less stringent than for tap water, the GAO wrote.

The trade group declined to comment on the reports before they are released.

Yahoo news

Solon seeks mandatory preggy test

2009-07-08T16:46:00.001+08:00

The bill seeking to make pregnancy test a pre-requisite to cosmetic surgery is being readied for bicameral deliberation upon the opening of congressional session later this month, a lawmaker revealed Tuesday.

Caloocan Rep. Mary Mitzi Cajayon, author of the bill, said her proposal is already on the way for bicameral scrutiny after it has been approved on third and final reading by the House of Representatives.

"The bill seeks to ensure that proper medical attention is accorded to every patient undergoing a cosmetic procedure, particularly females of childbearing age, by making pregnancy testing an indispensable requisite prior to undergoing such a procedure," the young solon said.

Under the bill, she noted, cosmetic surgeon will face a criminal suit if he fails to inform the patient of the potential risk of the cosmetic procedure or of performing cosmetic surgery to any woman in her childbearing years without the required pregnancy test.

The bill provides that the pregnancy test shall be done by the cosmetic surgeon himself or any accredited medical practitioner who can testify to the veracity or authenticity of the test.

Cajayon said that cosmetic surgeries that require the administration of general anesthesia using inhalational anesthetic gases and other types of sedating drugs given intravenously or orally are considered harmful both to the pregnant woman and the unborn child.

These procedures include liposuction of the abdomen, arms, thighs, submental area, abdominoplasty, breast augmentation, mastopexy, buttocks augmentation and chemical peeling of the face and body.

Cajayon said women who are infertile or incapable of reproduction are exempted, provided such condition is supported by certified medical records.

http://www.mb.com.ph

Cory’s wish is healing of the nation, says priest

2009-07-08T16:45:00.002+08:00

What former President Corazon "Cory" Aquino prays for is not her own healing but that of the nation, said healing priest Fr. Fernando Suarez as he led Monday's sixth novena Mass offered for the healing of the cancer-stricken leader.

Speaking before friends and former Cabinet officials of the country’s first woman President, alongside mass goers at the Sto. Niño de Paz Chapel in Greenbelt 5, Makati, Suarez recounted how Aquino received the news that she was diagnosed of cancer back in March, 2008.

"When she was first diagnosed of her illness, she told me that she is prepared for whatever the Lord wants for her. All she wanted is for the will of God be done,” he said.

"That is why I believe that what Tita Cory wants for now more than her own healing is the healing of our nation, both moral and spiritual," Suarez said in his homily.

The priest described Aquino as a fulfilled woman. "Wala na siyang mahihiling pa kaya all she needs is to pray, meditate, and reflect," he said.

"This woman is holier than any woman I have ever met. I admire her grace, simplicity, and words that are filled with so much dignity and compassion," he said, adding that he was allowed to visit Aquino at the Makati Medical Center.

As of press time, Aquino remains conscious and stable but "her normal appetite is not yet back," according to spokesperson Deedee Siytangco.

Despite the confidentiality of Aquino’s medical situation, Siytangco said the former President will stay hospitalized “indefinitely” even if the nine-day novena Mass at Greenbelt 5 is already drawing to an end this Thursday.

Aside from Aquino’s former Cabinet officials, seen Monday at the novena Mass were Susan Roces and her daughter, Grace Poe Llamanzares.

“We know that a lot of people are concerned about her and my family is one of them,” Poe said. “When FPJ was sick, it was she who visited us and brought a rosary so she could pray with me. This time, my family is praying for her,” Roces said.

Meanwhile, community prayer vigils will be held in 33 barangays of Makati City as the residents join in praying for Aquino’s speedy recovery.

Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay urged residents and the public to offer prayers for the former president.

http://www.mb.com.ph

Harry Potter actor charged with growing cannabis

2009-07-08T16:44:00.002+08:00

LONDON, July 7, 2009 (AFP) - A teenage actor from the Harry Potter films was charged Tuesday with illegally growing 10 cannabis plants, British police said, shortly before the world premiere of the latest movie.

Jamie Waylett, 19, who plays schoolboy bully Vincent Crabbe, will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court in central London on July 16 "charged with producing a class B drug, namely 10 plants of cannabis," police said.

Waylett, from north London, appears as the overweight, greedy and dim-witted side-kick of villain Draco Malfoy in all of the films about boy wizard Harry.

The charge was announced just hours before the Potter stars walked up the red carpet in London for the world premiere of the sixth film, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

The pre-release buzz suggests the new movie will add a sizeable chunk to the 4.5 billion dollars (3.2 billion euros) in box office receipts already earned by the successful Potter movie franchise.

http://www.mb.com.ph/

Did doctor leak Arroyo boob job news?

2009-07-08T11:00:00.002+08:00

MANILA - The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Tuesday started its probe into the leaked information on President Arroyo's confinement at the Asian Hospital last week, focusing their investigation on one doctor.

The NBI's Anti Fraud and Computer Crimes Division, which handles the alleged medical information leak, said the probe was not due to a command from the Palace, but from a request from the administration of the Asian Hospital.

"Malacanang has nothing to do with the ongoing probe. This is a request of a private hospital to conduct investigation for possible administrative liability of any of its hospital employees for getting patients' file and leaking it," NBI Director Nestor Mantaring said.

The NBI said it will investigate who and how the private medical information concerning the President leaked out.

An ABS-CBN source said the investigation is focusing on one doctor.

Three medical staff from the hospital's Center for Women's Health have already given statements, and the source said it points to one doctor as the source of the leak.

The three staff could also possibly stand as witnesses against the unidentified doctor, the source said.

The NBI, meanwhile, has not yet confirmed this, and whether the doctor in question is the President's doctor.

The agency also said that they will try to finish the investigation as soon as possible, saying that they are not being pressured by Malacañang.

With a report from Maan Macapagal, ABS-CBN News

Naruto Shippuuden 116 ” Keeper of the Iron Prison ”

2009-07-04T12:43:00.002+08:00

Enjoy!

Iddrop Kick na Kita Apo

2009-07-03T22:56:00.003+08:00

Jr, nakakalimutan mo na'ng lola mo. Mga pinsan mo sa states kahit papano, nkakapg forward ngvideos sa youtube. Eh ikaw? Ilang ulit na'ko nag superpoke sa'yo sa facebook, di kaman mag poke back.! Kakausapin mo lang ako 'pag may kailangan ka sa computer. I da drop kick na kita. Nag upload na ako ng...

Panis si cha cha bulilit kay techy granny ehehe...

PSPhone?

2009-06-28T11:44:00.006+08:00

Imagine a phone and a game console in one? Nice...
This is just a concept, well I think it's possible since Sony owns Ericsson right?
But the flaw is that isnt't it a bit too small? We are used to the big screen the PSP has, and I bet it would be small since they are integrating two devices into one.

Let's just wait and see.

Naruto Shippuuden 115 ” Zabuza’s Sword ”

2009-06-27T14:26:00.007+08:00

Enjoy!

Jackson apparently had heart attack

2009-06-27T14:10:00.002+08:00

LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson apparently suffered a heart attack, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Friday. Police planned to interview the doctor who was with the pop icon during his last minutes and pumped his chest in a vain attempt to save his life.

As grief for the King of Pop poured out around the world, from the icons of music to heartbroken fans, an autopsy showed no sign of trauma to Jackson, whose death came just weeks before he was to launch an epic comeback bid in a series of 50 concerts in London.

The person, who was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity, said Jackson had suffered a heart attack. Jackson's brother Jermaine had said the pop singer apparently went into cardiac arrest — which often but not always happens because of a heart attack.

Authorities said they would speak with the doctor, identified by the Los Angeles Times as cardiologist Conrad Murray, and said they had towed his car from Jackson's rented mansion because it could contain medication or other evidence. Police stressed that the doctor was not a criminal suspect.

Deputy Police Chief Charlie Beck said he hoped the doctor would shed light on the coroner's findings and "lead us to some conclusions."

Craig Harvey, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroner, said there were no signs of foul play. He said Jackson was taking some unspecified prescription medication but gave few other details.

A 911 call released by fire officials shed light on the desperate effort at the mansion to save Jackson's life before paramedics arrived Thursday afternoon. Jackson died later at UCLA Medical Center.

In the recording, an unidentified caller pleads with authorities to send help, offering no clues about why Jackson was stricken. He tells a dispatcher that Jackson's doctor is performing CPR.

"He's pumping his chest," the caller says, "but he's not responding to anything."

Asked by the dispatcher whether anyone saw what happened, the caller answers: "No, just the doctor, sir. The doctor has been the only one there."

The dispatcher then asks: "OK, so the doctor saw what happened?" The caller asks the doctor, "Did you see what happened, sir?" The next exchange in the background is unintelligible, and the caller returns to the phone to plead for help again.

The autopsy was completed in a matter of hours, but an official cause of death could take up to six weeks while medical examiners await toxicology tests. No funeral plans had been made public.

Jackson had remained out of the public spotlight during intense rehearsals for the London concerts. Lou Ferrigno, the star of "The Incredible Hulk," said he had been working out with Jackson for the past several months.

Still, Jackson's health had been known to be precarious in recent years, and one family friend said Friday that he had warned the entertainer's family about his use of painkillers.

"I said one day we're going to have this experience. And when Anna Nicole Smith passed away, I said we cannot have this kind of thing with Michael Jackson," Brian Oxman, a former Jackson attorney and family friend, told NBC's "Today" show. "The result was I warned everyone, and lo and behold, here we are. I don't know what caused his death. But I feared this day, and here we are."

Oxman claimed Jackson had prescription drugs at his disposal to help with pain suffered when he broke his leg after he fell off a stage and for broken vertebrae in his back.

The worldwide wave of mourning for Jackson continuted unabated for the man who revolutionized pop music and moonwalked his way into entertainment legend.

"My heart, my mind are broken," said Elizabeth Taylor, who was one of Jackson's closest friends and married one of her husbands at a lavish wedding at the pop star's Neverland Ranch in 1991. She said she had heard the news as she was preparing to travel to London for Jackson's comeback show, and added, "I can't imagine life without him."

Hundreds made a pilgrimage to the Jackson family's compound in Los Angeles, leaving flowers and messages of love. They did the same at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and at the home in Los Angeles' Holmby Hills where Jackson was stricken. Some camped out overnight.

In New York, people stopped at Harlem's Apollo Theater, where Jackson had performed as a child with his brothers in one of rock's first bubblegum supergroups, the Jackson 5.

Scores of celebrities who knew or worked with Jackson — or were simply awed by him — issued statements of mourning. Some came through publicists and others through emotional postings on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, where countless everyday fans were sharing memories as well.

"I truly hope he is memorialized as the '83 moonwalking, MTV owning, mesmerizing, unstoppable, invincible Michael Jackson," said John Mayer. Miley Cyrus called him "my inspiration."

And Diana Ross, the former lead singer of the Supremes who introduced the Jackson 5 at their debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1969, said she could not stop crying. "I am unable to imagine this," she said. "My heart is hurting."

His two ex-wives both said they were devastated. One of them, Lisa Marie Presley, posted a long, emotional statement on her MySpace page in which she said her ex-husband had confided to her 14 years ago that he feared dying young and under tragic circumstances, just as her father, Elvis Presley, had.

"I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that," Presley said.

Presley's father, the King of Rock 'n' Roll to Jackson's King of Pop, died in 1977 at age 42 of a drug-related death.

At rehearsals for Sunday's Black Entertainment Awards show, stars like Beyonce, Wyclef Jean and Ne-Yo were frantically revamping their performances in an effort to turn the evening into a Michael Jackson tribute.

"There's a direct line from Ne-Yo to Michael Jackson," said executive producer Stephen Hill. "There's a direct line from Beyonce to Michael Jackson. There's a direct line from Jay-Z to Michael Jackson. I think they'll want to pay tribute in their own way."

When he was on trial on child molestation charges in 2005, Jackson appeared gaunt and had recurring back problems that he attributed to stress. His trial was interrupted several times by hospital visits, and Jackson once even appeared late to court dressed in his pajamas after an emergency room visit.

After his acquittal, Jackson's prosecutor argued against returning some items that had been seized from Neverland, the Santa Barbara County estate Jackson had converted into a children's playland. Among the items were syringes, the powerful painkiller Demerol and other prescription drugs.

Demerol carries a long list of warnings to users. The government warns that mixing it with certain other drugs can lead to reactions including slowed or stopped breathing, shock and cardiac arrest.

Within hours of Jackson's death on Thursday, fans were inundating Web sites that sell his music, and physical stores reported they had been cleaned out of Michael Jackson and Jackson 5 CDs. All 10 of the albums on Amazon.com's bestseller list Friday were Jackson's; the 25th anniversary edition of "Thriller," the bestselling album of all time, was at the top.

Meanwhile, fans were snapping up every Jackson recording they could get their hands on.

Amazon.com sold out of CDs by Michael Jackson and by the Jackson 5, and Jackson's albums accounted for all 10 of Amazon's "Bestsellers in Music" list Friday, with the 25th anniversary edition of the celebrated "Thriller" album taking the top spot.

Barnes and Noble's Web site and retail stores also sold out most Jackson CDs, DVDs and books, and its 10 best-selling CDs were Jackson titles as well.

"They love him," said Bill Carr, Amazon's vice president for music and video. "He's a legend, and they're anxious to make sure they have his music in their collections."

Source:
yahoo news

Prices of flu drugs, vaccine triple amid A(H1N1) crisis

2009-06-25T12:13:00.003+08:00

Popular anti-viral drug Tamiflu now sells at P150.50 per capsule. - APMANILA, Philippines – Prices of flu drugs and vaccine have surged up to three times their normal prices, aggravating the Philippines’ Influenza A(H1N1) crisis as demand from health-conscious buyers is making the product scarce and increasingly expensive.

The Philippines, which is lagging behind other countries in the race for securing ample supplies of anti-swine flu vaccine, has listed 604 confirmed cases and one A(H1N1)-related fatality so far. It is now under pressure to take decisive steps in reducing mortality related to the novel virus.

Tamiflu – a popular brand of the anti-viral drug oseltamivir used to treat symptoms of the A(H1N1) virus – now sells at P150.50 per capsule at a popular drugstore.

The Department of Health (DOH) was able to purchase its first batch of 750,000 capsules of Tamiflu at P40 each before the A(H1N1) virus started spreading across the globe, said Dr. Yolanda Oliveros, director of the DOH National Center for Disease Protection and Control. The flu vaccines in the market only protect people from the regular seasonal flu viruses – Dr. Remegio Olveda, director of the Regional Institute for Tropical Medicine

Another batch of 500,000 Tamiflu capsules was sold to the government through bidding at P48 a capsule after the Philippines started reporting A(H1N1) cases in the country, Oliveros said.

Since April, the DOH has distributed 600,000 Tamiflu capsules for free to patients who were infected by the new flu strain. All the medical expenses of A(H1N1) cases – from testing to hospitalization – have been shouldered by the DOH since the virus came out.

A source from the DOH told GMANews.TV that consumers have been calling the agency to inquire about the “high prices" of anti-flu medicine and vaccines.

Dr. Remegio Olveda, director of the Regional Institute for Tropical Medicine, said the flu vaccines in the market only protect people from the regular seasonal flu viruses.

“Pero maganda na rin na protected ka sa seasonal flu para maiwasan na mag-mutate pa ang A(H1N1) virus," said Olveda. He stressed the possibility that the A(H1N1) virus, when introduced to another type of flu virus, could form a new strain.

From P500 to P1,800

FLU SHOT. The flu scare has sent people scrambling for flu shots, which may only provide a false sense of protection from A(H1N1). APThe exorbitant prices imposed by medical practitioners and drug firms may be considered “profiteering," and the government should find a way “to regulate" the prices of the flu products, said the DOH source, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A health advocacy group has called for the filing of charges against doctors and drug firms suspected of jacking up drug prices for Tamiflu and flu vaccines.

In an interview with GMANews.TV, Health Alliance for Democracy (HEAD) vice chairperson Gene Nisperos said the group has received reports about some doctors charging their patients as high as P1,800 for a flu shot, in addition to their professional fee (PF).

“Nakikinabang ang malalaking companies at sinasamantala nila ang takot ng mga tao [Big companies are benefiting from the scare and are taking advantage of the situation]," he said.

“Baka plus PF ay umabot na ng almost P3,000. Overpricing na iyan," (If the PF is included, the price would reach almost P3,000. That’s overpricing) he said.

A doctor who operates her own clinic in Makati City admitted in an interview with GMANews.TV that she sells anti-flu vaccines – with brand names Agrippal, Fluarix, and Vaxigrip – at P1,000 to P1,500 per dosage.

At a popular retail drug store, GMANews.TV learned that a single dose of flu vaccine is sold at P695. Most doctors recommend one to two doses per person as protection from the seasonal flu virus.

According to Oliveros, the regular price of flu vaccine is only P500. The DOH is not undertaking free vaccination for the public, but has purchased vaccine for their employees, she said.

The DOH had earlier requested P93.5 million from the national government for “anti-A(H1N1) preparation," Oliveros said. The DOH has shelled out P60 million of the funds and intends to use the remaining amount to buy personal protective equipment such as masks.

Responsible pricing Flu vaccine manufacturers and distributors are selling their products to drug retailers at “reasonable" prices, according to Dr. Sally Gatchalian, medical director for vaccines at the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). The company is a leading flu vaccine distributor in the Philippines, carrying the brand Fluarix.

The Department of Trade and Industry on Wednesday released the suggested retail prices (SRP) for consumer products that have recently been in demand due to the global flu scare.

[SRP Submissions from Medical Center Trading Corp; Green Cross; Pagoda Philippines; Johnson and Johnson Phils., Inc.; Core Brand Chemical, Inc.; Philusa Corporation; Rogenson Company Inc.; Mercury Drug Corp- loose prices; PAGASA member supermarkets - prevailing prices and ~Watson SRPs]

Gatchalian told GMANews.TV that some patients probably get a steep bill for a flu shot because it includes expenses for medical examination, the doctor's professional fee, and other miscellaneous fees.

GSK and other manufacturers of flu vaccines are members of the Pharmaceutical Health Care Association of the Philippines, which said it has no control and influence over the pricing policies of member firms.

Source:
gmanews.tv

Feria roars across central RP; 5 dead, 10 missing

2009-06-24T16:54:00.019+08:00

MANILA, Philippines - Five people were reported killed, 10 missing, while 4,730 passengers stranded in several ports and 22 domestic flights canceled as storm “Feria" continued to pound the country Wednesday noon, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said.

In its latest report, the NDCC said 10 people remain missing, including six fishermen in Eastern Samar and a four-year-old in Romblon province.

NDCC also said waist-deep floodwater hit Cuaming Island in Inabanga town in Bohol province.

Confirmed dead were fishermen Roberto Longaza, Ruben Rajas, Boyet Drias and Ryan Brogada, after a tornado hit their motorboat docked at Perez, Quezon at midnight Tuesday.

Still unidentified, a fifth fatality was reported to have drowned in Hilutungan in Bantayan Island in Cebu province.

Those missing are a four-year-old child in flooded Sta. Maria town in Romblon; fishermen Maximo Sanchez, 42, and Wilmo Cantilan of Cebu; Rey Pelaque, Rudy Bederos, Potenciano Amante, Boyboy Cabanatan, Olimpyo Darang and Totoy Oroyan and Justino Munda of Eastern Samar.

Injured were Ramil Escobar, 26; and Bocoy Pilapil, 27, of Padre Burgos town in Southern Leyte.

The two were earlier reported missing but were found alive on the Zurriago City’s shores at 3 p.m. Tuesday.

Some 50 families or 251 people in Eastern Visayas were displaced, the report added.

On the other hand, the NDCC cited reports from the Coast Guard that 4,730 passengers, 47 trucks, 49 cars, 502 rolling cargoes, 126 vessels, 131 motor bancas and 18 vessels were stranded in 24 ports in southern Luzon, Bicol and the Visayas.

"Respective Coast Guard unit commanders in ports listed above are closely monitoring and rendering assistance to ensure the security and safety of stranded passengers," the NDCC said.

The NDCC also reported power interruptions in Sorsogon in Bicol and in Bauan town in Batangas. A power failure was also reported along Sta. Elena Road and Marikina City Hall.

Metropolis on course

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecast Feria to hit Metro Manila around 8 p.m. passing through the Calabarzon (Region 4-A) area in southern Luzon.

But the state weather forecaster said that if the storm changes its direction in the next few hours, it might hit the metropolis directly.

In anticipation of inclement weather, the Manila International Airport Authority has canceled 22 domestic flights, a GMANews’ Flash Report said.

According to the report, 10 Sea-Air flights from Manila to Caticlan in Panay Island and to Tablas Island in Romblon province have been canceled.

Four Cebu Pacific flights and two Philippine Airlines flights to Caticlan were also put on hold.

Rescue preparations

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Jesus Verzosa has ordered all Police Regional Directors in areas affected by Feria to activate their respective Disaster Response Plans and assist the Civil Defense and local government authorities in rescue, relief, evacuation and rehabilitation operations.

Verzosa has also alerted the Special Action Force, Maritime Group and other National Support Units with search and rescue capability to be ready for deployment to conduct rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations.

He has also directed the Metro Manila- National Capital Region Police Office Police units to ensure the availability of personnel and equipment for the operations.

Verzosa issued these instructions upon receipt of initial reports from field units about the growing extent of damages Feria has wrought in some provinces.

Source:
GMANews.TV

1st flu death reported in RP

2009-06-23T11:43:00.002+08:00

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Health (DOH) reported yesterday the country’s first death from Influenza A(H1N1), a 49-year-old mother who was known to have other pre-existing illnesses.

The latest total count of infected cases nationwide soared to 445 after 17 more were recorded yesterday. The good news, however, is that out of the total cases, 374 have fully recovered.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said that based on the autopsy report, the viral infection was not the primary cause of the death, but rather “congestive heart failure secondary to acute myocardial infarction aggravated by severe pneumonia – either bacterial, viral or both.”

“This one is a very interesting case. It embodies several high-risk and pre-disposing factors that accelerated the death (of the patient). It is in line with what we have been saying for several weeks, that complicated cases will be encountered,” Duque noted at a press conference.

Aside from congestive heart disease, the patient was found to have tuberculosis, enlarged liver, kidney and spleen, tumor in the uterus and tyromegaly or goiter.

The patient was not even in the DOH’s records of suspected and confirmed A(H1N1) cases and had no history of travel to countries that have the virus.

According to Duque, the patient came home from work with a cough last June 17 and developed fever, cold and chills the following day so she did not report for work.

On June 19, the patient was no longer able to take her breakfast and suddenly experienced difficulty in breathing. She died even before the doctor called by her family arrived.

The next day, the brother notified Duque about the incident and throat swab samples were collected from the patient.

The specimens tested positive for A(H1N1).

“Given the available information, we cannot conclude that the death is due to A(H1N1). But in other countries which have reported A(H1N1) deaths, a majority have pre-existing medical conditions. We condole with the family of the patient as we mourn her untimely death,” Duque, who was a friend of the patient’s brother, said.

He assured the public that the patient no longer poses a threat to those who might attend her wake because the virus dies when the host-body perishes.

The DOH had advised the household contacts of the patients to observe self-quarantine while it is checking with others who could have come in close contact with her.

Duque said the husband had manifested symptoms ahead of the patient but he tested negative for the virus when examined. The patient’s son, mother, sister and brother have not developed flu-like symptoms.

With this development, the health secretary said that the DOH will be “more aggressive in targeting segments of patients with high vulnerability to fatal flu complications and who should be the ones to receive the most care and attention by healthcare professionals.”

Malacañang immediately stepped into the picture and urged the public not to panic.

Deputy presidential spokeswoman Lorelei Fajardo said the victim was considered a “high-risk” case and health authorities still consider her infection as mild.

“I think our DOH officials are on the right track by giving more attention to the high-risk patients,” Fajardo said.

“There’s nothing to be alarmed about. Again we just need to be prepared and that’s what we’re doing right now,” she added.

Scary projection

Although the health department is doing its best to prevent the virus from spreading, one of its officials estimated that around 22.5 million Filipinos may be afflicted with it, considering the way it has been spreading.

Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, head of the agency’s Emerging and Re-Emerging Infectious Disease Program, told the panel of South Cotabato Rep. Arthur Pingoy that the virus could affect 25 percent of the population estimated to be at least 90 million.

“When you talk about projection, with the 25 percent attack rate, we can say that we are expecting 25 percent of the population to be affected with influenza A(H1N1),” he told Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez.

Suy, however, did not specify any time frame for the spread of the disease.

Dr. Vito Roque, head of the surveillance unit of the DOH National Epidemiological Center, acknowledged that the current trend of the virus is steadily increasing, as evidenced by the day-to-day monitoring of cases.

Muntinlupa City Rep. Ruffy Biazon said the first casualty of A(H1N1) virus should be thoroughly studied by the health department to determine if a new strain had indeed claimed the life of the victim.

“The first A(H1N1) death in the country should be fully investigated by the DOH in order to determine if it was caused by a new strain of the virus or if the victim simply had a weaker physical condition,” he said.

“The first few hundred cases were considered mild. But this death might be the start of the stronger cases, hence the DOH should take extra effort in containing the virus,” added Biazon.

During the initial stage of the briefing, Golez showed disappointment over the absence of Duque and warned the representatives of DOH about its logistical capability.

“I know that Secretary Duque is busy, but this is a very important matter. I am going to ask the policies and budgetary concerns of the agency.”

But Suy defended his boss’ absence. “The secretary is currently attending an emergency meeting regarding H1N1.”

Still wreaking havoc

But while the bureaucracy is neck-deep in its efforts to control the spread of the virus, several other cases have been recorded all over the country, prompting schools to suspend classes.

In Metro Manila, St. Scholastica’s College in Manila and St. Paul College-Makati had suspended classes for 10 days starting yesterday due to A(H1N1). Classes for pre-school, elementary and high school students will resume at both schools on July 1 when school facilities have already been subjected to disinfection.

Reedley International School in Libis, Quezon City and Rosary Hills International School in Kaybiga in Caloocan City also suspended classes yesterday.

Dr. Teresita Domalanta, of the Department of Education National Capital Region, said classes were also suspended in La Salle Greenhills, San Juan; Don Bosco Technical Institute, the St. Bernadette School and the Southridge-PAREF School in Mandaluyong City.

Adamson University-Manila suspended classes at all levels but only for five days with one confirmed case of A(H1N1). Classes will resume on June 25.

The University of Santo Tomas in España, Manila had suspended classes for a number of courses housed in its St. Martin de Porres Building.

Among the UST colleges that had suspended their classes for 10 days are the Colleges of Nursing, Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences.

University of Cebu in Mandaue City had three confirmed cases that resulted in some 600 nautical course students being quarantined.

Two cases were reported at Karangalan Elementary School in Cainta, Rizal while 11 persons, including nine students, were reportedly infected in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, leading to the suspension of classes in at least six schools.

Six of the infected students were from Sta. Rosa Central School and three from Canossa Academy School.

Nazareno said the patients are now being treated and are responding well to medication.

Classes were also suspended at the Sacred Heart College in Tacloban City after a Grade IV pupil was monitored with the viral infection.

City health officer Dr. Jaime Opinion reported that it is monitoring 163 individuals who were exposed to persons confirmed with the virus.

Two of the three cases in Eastern Visayas are residents of Tacloban. The other, a 44-year-old seaman, is from Catbalogan, Samar.

The three are now confined at the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center, the hospital designated by the DOH for treatment of persons infected with the virus.

However, not everything is lost in the fight against A(H1N1).

Dr. Rio Magpantay, DOH director in Central Luzon, yesterday said that the panic triggered by the outbreak has already died down after 53 out of 55 cases in San Fernando, Pampanga have recovered.

“I think the panic dissipated after people found out that those stricken with A(H1N1) fully recovered within three to four days,” Magpantay told The STAR.

He said swab samples were taken over the weekend from 32 students of schools in Camiling, Tarlac and another 30 people in Bulacan, Hagonoy and Guiguinto in Bulacan after they manifested flu-like symptoms.

Results on the swab laboratory tests were still being awaited as of yesterday.

He said of the total 55 confirmed cases so far in Central Luzon, 27 were in Guiguinto and Bulacan in Bulacan, 26 in Jaen, Licab, Lupao and Cabanatuan City in Nueva Ecija, and one each in Angeles City and Floridablanca in Pampanga.

The only two victims still recovering from the virus are from Bulacan, while the rest fully recovered in three to four days.

Magpantay said that the DOH is now less preoccupied with tracing the contacts of the cases and has zeroed in on containing the spread of existing cases.

“We have enough supply of Tamiflu and all our patients took the medication for their recovery,” he said.

He said the panic that initially ensued from the emergence of the new flu ailment has died down, attributing this to media reports that stressed the mild nature of A(H1N1) in the country.

Source:
www.doh.gov.ph
www.yahoo.com.ph
www.philstar.com.ph

Forbes: Pacquiao world's 6th highest-paid athlete

2009-06-22T10:45:00.003+08:00

MANILA, Philippines -- Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao made it to Forbes magazine's list of highest-paid athletes in the world, tying for the sixth spot with basketball phenom Lebron James and golfer Phil Mickelson.

According to Forbes, Pacquiao is the highest-ranking among four newcomers to the list, raking in a total of $40 million in the past 12 months. The boxing star is among the eight non-Americans on the list, which had golf icon Tiger Woods ($110 million) at the top.

"Pac-Man hogged the boxing spotlight over the past year with victories in two blockbuster fights against Oscar De La Hoya in December and Ricky Hatton in May that combined for more than $100 million in pay-per-view revenue in the US," Forbes said in a brief write-up.

"The two blockbuster fights garnered more than 2 million pay-per-view buys in the US and earned Pac-Man $30 million combined."

The reputable business magazine cited the General Santos City-based southpaw’s endorsements with giant firms.

"Pacquiao's massive popularity in his native Philippines is why companies like Nike and San Miguel beer have signed him to endorse their products. Pacquiao intends to use that popularity to run for political office when his ring career is over," Forbes added.

Among those ranking above Pacquiao include basketball stars Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, and Formula One star Kimi Raikkonen at No. 2 ($45 million each), and football standout David Beckham at No. 5 ($42 million).

Forbes has earlier listed Pacquiao as the 57th most influential celebrity in the world. The Filipino spitfire was also included in Time magazine's list of 100 Most Influential People.

Pacquiao is reportedly returning to the ring in November, possibly against welterweight star Miguel Cotto.

Source:
Philstar.com

10 Rizal monuments around the world

2009-06-21T16:42:00.003+08:00

MANILA, Philippines—National hero Dr. Jose Rizal is recognized in many parts of the world for his intelligence and heroism, earning him at least 10 Rizal monuments in four continents around the world, Senator Richard Gordon said Friday.

At the commemoration of Rizal’s 148th birthday, the senator paid tribute to the national hero.

“Jose Rizal showed us that even if we were colonized by foreign nations, we can refuse to be bound by them, by having a vision and strengthening our values. He showed that Filipinos could excel and compete with the best,” he said in a statement.

“Jose Rizal was the first Filipino to break the walls in his mind, walls which were built by the foreign invaders. Other countries also recognize his heroism and have chosen to erect monuments in his honor,” he added.

Gordon pointed out that Filipinos should be proud that other nations recognize that Rizal’s short but meaningful life is an ideal model which shows that a person can achieve far beyond what he may seem to reach if only he has a vision and strives hard to achieve it.

He welcomed the development of a Rizal Park in New South Wales, Australia as a fitting tribute to Rizal’s heroism. (Earlier, the Department of Foreign Affairs said a 2.2-hectare property in the city of Campbelltown, New South Wales will be developed to become the Rizal Park in Australia. It was through the initiative of a group of Filipino-Australians and their friends who petitioned the city council of Campbelltown to name it Rizal Park. Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd gave A$120,000 for the initial construction of the park while the Campbelltown city council will provide another A$140,000.)

Aside from the park being built in Australia, he said there are monuments in Rizal’s honor in Madrid, Spain; Wilhelmsfeld, Germany; Jinjiang, Fujian, China; Cherry Hill Township, New Jersey; San Diego, California; and Seattle, Washington; Reforma Avenue in Mexico City, Mexico; La Molina in Lima, Peru; Litomerice, Czech Republic; and Singapore.

Guided by the values inculcated by Rizal, Gordon started the Bagumbayan Movement which seeks to rediscover and revitalize the Filipino identity by having a vision grounded on values and empowered by volunteerism.

He explained that the Bagumbayan movement aims to regain the Filipinos’ sense of responsibility, to reinvent the government that it may faithfully perform its duty to serve and protect the people, to fortify law and order, and to build a strong and growing economy.

It also strives to prioritize education, provide adequate health care, create jobs, assist people in securing homes and land, strengthen the family as the foundation of the nation, and protect and preserve the environment for posterity.

Source:
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T09:09:00.001+08:00

Even a chick that got lost
from its parents
has a tomorrow
to return someday
to the tender breast again
But why couldn't I find
my father's figure?
I won't cry
I'm a man
I believe, I believe
in the day
I will hold
my father in my arms.

Even flowers
and spiderworts
that grow in the field
will someday find someone
to have an evening together
But why doesn't happiness
come to see me?

I won't cry
I'm a man
I'll endure , I'll endure
and wait for the day
I will hold my father's hands
and laugh together with him

The gathering clouds
that cover the crescent moon
Will someday by the wind
be blown away
and a shining night will come
But why doesn't
my father's star sparkle?

I won't cry
I'm a man
I will fight, I will fight
for the day
I get my father back
with my own hands

He watched us as we grew, provided all our needs.
From riding a bike to driving a car, we learned so much from him.
We are lucky to have him in our lives.
So make haste, this is his day, give him a hug and say,
"Happy Father's day Dad, you're the beast...!" Ehehe

Kids, always do your homework

2009-06-20T14:29:00.001+08:00

Angry Teacher Rips Student’s Cheek Off!

On December 18th, 2008, a 10 year-old 5th grader named Chao Qun Zheng went to his elementary school in HeNan, China.

When his teacher, Guo, found out that young Zheng had not completed his homework, she flipped out.

“She was very angry at the time,” he said. “She ripped and twisted my cheeks with both her hands and then she lifted me off the ground.”

The teacher held the boy up until one of his cheeks actually ripped off and the boy was bleeding profusely.

Without hesitation the teacher reached down and picked up Zheng’s cheek skin, put it on his face, and instructed the boy go home immediately.

When the parents saw Zheng, they immediately took him to the hospital where it took 52 stitches to have his cheek sewn back on.

Zheng’s father has reported the case to the police and is expected to press for damages.

Bad Teacher, Bad Teacher...

Source:
weirdasianews

Naruto Shippuuden 114 - The Eye of a Hawk

2009-06-19T20:28:00.001+08:00

The hawk killed the Snake

Influenza A (H1N1) Update Philippines - Duque Reports 149 More Fully Recovered Patients have Been Sent Home While 33 New Cases Are Confirmed

2009-06-19T13:44:00.001+08:00

18 June 2009

Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III today reported 149 fully recovered patients more were sent home while confirming 33 new cases, all mild in nature.

Twenty-four of the cases are male, while the rest of the 33 are female. The age range of these cases is from 1 to 52 years old with a median age of 17 years old. All but two of the 33 are Filipinos. These new additional cases bring the total count to 344.

Duque announced that the 149 fully recovered patients bring the total count of recovered A (H1N1) cases to 242.

“So far the country has no reported case of death or severe illness in all of the 344 documented positive cases,” Duque stressed.

In their latest report dated June 15, the WHO has reported 35,928 cases and 163 deaths from 76 reporting countries.

http://www.doh.gov.ph/h1n1/