What Is News?

What is news? My journalist mentors have a common definition of what news is.

When a dog bites a man it is a medical emergency.
When a man bites a dog that's news!

RP Has Two Prexies In UN's Most Corrupt Leaders List

If being corrupt is something to be proud of then Filipinos should rejoice because it has two presidents in the United Nations List Of Top 10 Most Corrupt Leaders in the world, released during the UN anti-corruption conference being held in Indonesia.

The Philippines was bested only by the late Indonesian President Suharto who topped the list with an ammased wealth of $15 to P35 billion. The country's own President Ferdinand Marcos came second with an amassed wealth of $5 to $10 billion.

Former president Joseph Estrada said he will sue the UN (no, not for placing him in the 10th place as the most corrupt leader with an amassed wealth of $78 to $80 million instead of the 1st ha!ha!)but for the baseless accusation. If conviction for plunder in 2007 is not basis enough then something must be wrong somewhere.

Estrada was convicted by the Sandiganbayan for plunder with a 40-year prison terms. This was confirmed by the Supreme Court.

The complete list of the UN Top 10 Most Corrupt World Leaders:
1. Suharto of Indonesia
2. Ferdinand Marcos-Philippines
3. Mobutu Sese Seko-Zaire
4. Sani Abacha-Nigeria
5. Slobodan Milosevic-Serbia
6. Jean Claude Duvalier-Haiti
7. Alberto Fujimori-Peru
8. Pavlo Lazarenko-Ukraine
9. Arnoldo Aleman- Nicaragua
10.Joseph Estrada-Philippines

Does College Pay?

Does College Pay? Not always. When you join the rat race and you have to make a living, it does not matter whether you have an ATTY., a masteral or a Ph.D in your name. What matters is the ability to look for opportunities and the ability to survive.

A College Degree is good for display in your living room. Of course, when you first apply for a job, it does help if you can present a transcript of records with very high grades. It will impress anyone. But after a few months, it's what you know and not what's on paper that matters. And in most cases, what you know is not measured by the grades in your TOR.

Davao City To Lose P194M In IRA With HB 24 Approval

Davao City is set to lose P194 million in its Internal Revenue Allotment with the approval of House Bill 24.

HB 24, which was authored by Representative Ann Hofer of Zamboanga Sibugay, will result to the creation of 28 capital, towns into new cities even if they do not meet the P100 million locally generated income every year as provided under the Local Government Code.

Davao City had an IRA of P1.792 billion in 2007. This would have been increased to P2.055 billion in 2008.

"With the creation of new cities, the increase in the city's IRA would only amount to P69 million," councilor Peter Lavina said Tuesday.

He said this amount would have been enough to build the Sports Complex or the City College.

Huli Ka!

If I had a hundred peso reward for every private-yellow-license-plate-bearing-taxi I get on camera then I say that's a great alternative to being a problogger because it would provide me a regular source of income on a daily basis.

That one way of saying that there are SOOOOO MANYYY taxicabs in the city bearing a green license plate which should only be used by private vehicles. Turns out that the Land Transportation Office is so inept its personnel couldn't see these taxicabs even if the cabs run pass their noses everyday.

Keith Bacongco himself spotted a Mabuhay Taxi bearing a green license plate. I caught this one, I think it’s an Alleyaa (did I get the spelling right?) on this photo last Tuesday and that’s not even the whole story. A few minutes after passing that taxi, I saw two taxis parked along the side of the Matina highway---bearing green license plates. And then another one in Juna after 5 minutes. I did not bother getting their photos anymore. It's tiring, you know especially when its the people at the LTO who are getting paid for the job I was doing.

Wednesday Movie Guide

Alvin and Chipmunks is finally here! We've (the other part of we being "B") been waiting for this movie since Christmas last year. I was wondering why the cinemas kept on postponing the showing of the movie during the Holiday season when it was very fitting with the times. It was even shown in Manila theaters ahead.

We have had Alvin and the Chipmunks playing in our CD for several years already it would be nice to finally meet the gang that made us laugh even just in audio.

Well, I hope Alvin and the Chipmunks is well worth the wait.

Alvin and the Chipmunks (G)
SM Cinema 2 11:50/13:40/15:30/17:20
NCCC CInema 2 12:00/2:00/4:00/6:00

John Rambo (R13)
SM Cinema 6 11:20/13:1515:1017:05
NCCC Cinema 3 12:25/2:20/4:15/6:10

I Could Never Be Your Woman (PG13)
SM Cinema 3 12:10/13:55/15:40/17:25
NCCC Cinema 4 12:00/2:00/4:00/6:00

Alien vs Predator is on an extended run at both SM and NCCC Cinemas.

US-based Group Spends $20M For Davao Medical Mission

No less than $20 million was spent by over 220 volunteers from the Philippine Medical Mission Society of Northern California to help Dabawenyos with various medical conditions.

Members of the PMSNC, who conducted a 4-day medical mission in the city from January 21 to 25, 2007, shouldered their own airfare and accommodation, brought their own hospital equipment and rendered free services to almost 10 thousand Dabawenyos during the mission.

Among the medical services provided by the group are dental, medical and eye check up as well as minor and major operations including an open heart surgery (which would normally cost P500,000) and pacemaker insertion (which costs P300,000). The group also gave away free eyeglasses for those with eye problems.

Now, this is what I call giving back a portion of your blessings. The Philippines need more of these people. A lot of Filipinos who have made it big in the United States have shared their blessings to their fellow Filipinos in terms of school building and facilities, medical mission, scholarships and monetary aid.

Those who have made it big in the Philippines should follow suit.