Local Oil Price Hikes Exceed Global Increases, Says Study

As oil companies hike prices anew, a study by research group IBON Foundation reveals that local pump prices have been rising by more than the price of crude oil. An analysis of monthly price data from January 1999 to March 2009 shows that local pump prices have apparently been rising by more than the price of Dubai crude converted to pesos at prevailing exchange rates. The price of Dubai crude per liter rose an average of 16 centavos (P0.16) per month over the January 1999 to February 2006 period while the pump price of diesel per liter rose an average of 21 centavos (P0.21) per month. The divergence was even larger in the post-RVAT period of volatile oil prices, when the 12% reformed value-added tax was imposed on petroleum products beginning February 2006. The price per liter of Dubai rose by an average of 12 centavos (P0.12) per month from February 2006 to March 2009 while diesel pump prices rose by a much higher average of 24 centavos (P0.24) per month. Unless some other factors have been significantly affecting pricing, this suggests that local oil players have effectively been overcharging beyond what is warranted by movements in international crude prices. These are computations based on what relevant data is publicly available and would certainly be more accurate if there were greater transparency and accountability in oil pricing. These also do not yet reflect superprofits made by the global cartel of major oil companies, the research group said. The price movements were computed by charting monthly Dubai crude and diesel pump prices and then calculating respective trendlines. The relevant slopes were then interpreted as the average increase in centavos per month. The price of Dubai crude was calculated per liter rather than the conventional per barrel for easier comparability and is not based on any assumptions regarding production costs. The questionable pricing of oil products is only one of the arguments of IBON and cause-oriented groups against the oil deregulation law. The law, which only further strengthens the monopoly of giant transnational oil companies, should immediately be repealed to protect the consumers against the highly speculative and monopolized oil industry.

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For every P1 per liter oil price hike: Government earns additional P5.5 M daily in VAT revenues

Reference: Arnold Padilla, spokesperson (0926-6246061)

For every P1 per liter oil price hike, the national government collects an additional P5.47 million in revenues everyday from the value added tax (VAT) imposed on petroleum products, the Kontra KulimVAT revealed today.

Kontra-KulimVAT, a consumer campaign launched to scrap the 12% VAT on oil and electricity to lower their rates, said that most of these additional revenues come from diesel which generates P2.12 million daily in extra VAT collections for every P1 per liter oil price increase.

“This explains why the government continues to ignore the clamor to scrap the oil VAT. But it is unconscionable that Malacañang reaps windfalls from the economic hardship of our people,” said Arnold Padilla, Kontra-KulimVAT spokesperson.

Padilla added that aside from diesel, the government also earns P1.21 million more daily in revenues for every P1 per liter increase in the price of gasoline; kerosene, P0.54 million; fuel oil, P0.96 million; liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), P0.61 million; and other petroleum products, P0.04 million.

“The government always pins the blame on the world market for the high oil prices but it is actually just an excuse to justify its self-imposed helplessness. The VAT on petroleum is a national policy and clearly, the government can choose not to implement it for the interest of the consumers,” Padilla pointed out.

He said that pump prices of various petroleum products can go down by P5 to 6 per liter if the VAT is removed.

Groups under the Kontra-KulimVAT campaign have been gathering signatures since last week asking for public support to cancel the VAT on oil and electricity. They will submit the signatures to the House of Representatives where bills for the removal of VAT on oil and power are pending. #

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Drivers, consumers in Mindanao enraged over high PRICES

Transport groups and sectors from the urban poor and professionals from various cities in Mindanao will join Monday’s nationwide transport strike in protest of the increase in rice and petroleum prices.

The groups led by local chapters of Piston and Bayan are projecting 90 to 95 percent paralysis of transportation in Davao City, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Butuan, and Bayugan.

Drivers and consumers blame the government for the present double whammy of increases, saying President Arroyo favors oil cartel and big business while failing to augment wages and ensure food security for the people.

The groups said the repeal of the Oil Deregulation Law would be an immediate remedy to the oil price hike. The groups also call for the scrapping of the 12% Reformed Value Added Tax (Rvat) as this would reduce five pesos from the prices of petroleum.

They also call for the implementation of the 125 peso across the board wage increase. They also support legislation for the creation of a body to monitor and regulate petroleum prices and for government to provide an oil price buffer fund.

Jeepney and tricycle drivers say that the Oil Deregulation Law has allowed unhampered increase in the prices of gasoline, kerosene and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and resulted to ever-increasing losses in income.

Piston Caraga said that price of gasoline, diesel and LPG rose to a staggering 357%, 434% and 356% since the implementation of the law in 1996.

Last year saw the prices of gasoline increase 18 times while LPG increased 13 times. This year, oil companies have set to add 1 peso per week starting May to July.

The increases have cut into the drivers’ daily income. According to Transmission Southern Mindanao, drivers lose more than 200 pesos a day from their income due to the increase. Tricycle drivers in General Santos lose nearly half of their income as they have to shell out 300 pesos for gasoline per day, in which they end up taking home 80 to 100 pesos for their income.

Bayan Southern Mindanao blames the government’s entry into the World Trade Organization that resulted to rice importation and increases in rice prices. Since its approval in 1995, the price of rice increased its original price of P 8 per kilo to a staggering P33 to P35 per kilo.

EO 464, korupsiyon sa gobyernong Arroyo, kinondena ng CBCP

HINILING ng CBCP (Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines) sa gobyerno na ibasura ang EO (Executive Order) 464 ni Pangulong Arroyo na nagbabawal sa mga opsiyal ng gobyerno na tumestigo sa Kongreso nang walang pahintulot ng Malakanyang.
Sa pahayag na binasa ni Obispo Angel Lagdameo, presidente ng CBCP, kinondena rin ng grupo ang anila’y laganap na kultura ng korupsiyon sa gobyerno, "mula sa pinakaitaas."
Sinabi ni Lagdameo na kailangang ibasura ang EO 464 para hayaan ang mga opisyal na isiwalat ang lahat ng nalalaman nila hinggil sa mga anomalya sa pamahalaan.
Bagamat hindi pa rin hayagang nanawagan ng pagbibitiw ni Arroyo ang CBCP, maituturing itong pinakamatapang na pahayag ng pagkondena sa kasalukuyang gobyerno.
Inilinaw ni Lagdameo na hindi pagtatawag ng "People Power" ang panawagang "communal action" ng CBCP.
"Ang panawagan natin ay prayerful community action patungong aksiyon," sabi ni Lagdameo.

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NGO, CIVIL Society wants probe on Butuan Airport safety

BUTUAN CITY: A people’s organization and a civil society group asked for an impartial investigation on claims that the Butuan City airport was hazardous after an Airbus A320 overshot the runway and crash-landed on Friday, said the Philippine News Agency on Monday.
Caraga Watch’s spokesman John Stevens Hinayon, and Jun Capillas, said investigators should take into consideration the presence of a military fuel depot near the runway and residents living within the airport’s danger zone.
They said the government should also consider relocating airport residents away from the runway area at Purok 6, Barangay Libertad, Butuan City.
“The near hit of the PAL Airbus A320 on Friday at the big military fuel depot located about five to six meters away from the runway may have caused huge explosions that may have killed all 148 passengers,” they said. (http://mindanao.wowphilippines.com/index2.php)

PAL plane overshoots Butuan runway; all safe

A Philippine Airlines (PAL) plane with 148 passengers on board overshot the airport runway as it made its landing in Butuan City in Mindanao early Friday, but no one was reported injured in the incident.PAL spokesman Rolando Estabillo said the PAL A-320 Airbus flight PR-475 may have sustained damage in the minor accident, but assured families of its passengers that no one was hurt."Malamang ma-delay ang pabalik sa Manila. Titingnan natin kung kailangang ma-cancel (The flight will be delayed in its return flight to Manila. We're still assessing if we should cancel the return flight to Manila)," Estabillo said in an interview on dzBB radio.He said the accident occurred at about 6:07 a.m., as the plane from Manila landed at the Butuan City airport. The plane, which left Manila at 5:05 a.m., overshot the airport's Runway 30.It was manned by Capt. FJ Santos, while FR Balinghasay served as co-pilot, reports said.Estabillo said, however, that the plane's passengers still managed to disembark from the plane. "Walang nasaktan (No one was hurt)," he said.The plane was still at the runway as of 8:30 a.m. Authorities have decided to temporary stop air traffic at the airport.

Caraga records 8 deaths due to dengue

BUTUAN CITY- At least eight people died and 941 others were hospitalized due to dengue from January 1 to September 22 this year, records at the Department of Health-Caraga Region showed.Health officials said the record only reflected from the weekly reports of various private hospitals in the region. It does not include reports from rural health units in the region. DOH-Caraga spokesperson Sunshine Alipayo said the health agency is also closely monitoringthe upsurge of other water-borne diseases.Aside from viral influenza and leptospirosis, Alipayo said: “We are also closely monitoring at present other illnesses such as diarrhea, typhoid, hepatitis A and cholera due to the onslaught of the rainy season."Surigao del Sur recorded 270 dengue cases with four deaths as of September 22, the highest so far. Agusan del Sur listed three deaths from 244 persons affected. Next is Butuan City (243 with no death) followed by Agusan del Norte (71), Surigao City (48), Surigao del Norte (40) and Bislig City ( 25).

Militant farmer found dead in Agusan Sur

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur, Philippines -- A member of a leftist farmers’ group was found dead with a gunshot wound in the head near a river in Loreto town Saturday.
Analyn Lumawag, deputy secretary general of the human rights group Karapatan in the Caraga Region, said Jorge Dinolan, 40 and a member of Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma sa Agusan del Sur-Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, was the fourth victim of summary execution in the region this year.
Initial reports gathered by Karapatan said Dinolan left his house Friday morning and failed to return. His body was discovered near the Umayam river the day after.
His body bore contusions, apart from the gunshot wound in the head.
Lumawag said the cases of three other summary executions were unresolved.
On January 20, Somo Senga of Pigkauman Higaonon Pangibabasok was shot dead in Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte.
On March 14, Cepriano Ligaspo, a farmer and motorcycle driver in the sub-village of Monica, Bunawan Brook in Agusan del Sur, was allegedly killed by militiamen.
On April 1, Dandan Quillano was reportedly shot by militiamen.
Lumawag said Ligaspo was among the six farmers arrested on February 20 by militiamen and soldiers of the 36th Infantry Battalion on suspicion they were New People's Army (NPA) rebels.
But officials of the 36th IB, in a statement, said the killing of Ligaspo was the handiwork of an NPA hit squad.
Colonel Jose Viscarra, commanding officer of 401st Army Brigade based in Tago, Surigao del Sur, lambasted the Karapatan for bias in its fact-finding mission in the sub-village of Greenfields in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur where the military discovered a factory of landmines being operated by the NPA.
Viscarra also hit Karapatan for not doing its own investigation on the killing of two policemen in Lianga, Surigao del Sur in March.

(Chris V. PanganibanMindanao BureauLast updated 04:29pm (Mla time) 05/07/2007

Agusan Sur eyes "quick turnaround" technology for increased rice production

AGUSAN DEL SUR — The Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) is now implementing a program called “Quick Turn Around” which aims to plant rice and harvest three times in a year to increase rice products in the country especially that Luzon area is affected first by the dry spell and followed by typhoon, in line with a directive issued by the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Max Gegato of PAO said that 300 hectares are targetted under this program to cover Bayugan, Esperanza and Bunawan towns. He said that under the program, the government would provide the subsidized seeds where it should be planted before September 15 so that it could be harvested by last week of December.
Gegato said that Dr. Srisco Malabanan, DA National Rice Program Director emphasized the need to increase the rice products in the country especially that abnormal weather conditions affect the Luzon area and that there is a problem in the supply of rice in the world market.
On the other hand, DA Secretary Arthur Yap said that the country has sufficient supply of rice, fish and vegetables and does not expect abnormal increases in the prices of these goods.

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INTING SA AMERICA:Si Inting mi adto sa USA, ni order ug sikwati iyang gihigop bisag init ug nakahilak si Inting!

AMERICAN: Anything?

INTING: Init molang!

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BABAYE: Dong, nakita imong cellphone.

LALAKE: Natural makita gyud, kay open line man.

BABAYE:Unsa man na, 3210?

LALAKE: Dili, O-10!

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TAWO: Padre, nganong naa man ka'y daghan hinayhay nga bra, panty, ug blouses? Naa ka'y asawa?

PARI: Sus! Kung and inyong limos ug amot ra ang akong saligan, dili ko mabuhi. Nanglabada ko no!!!!!!!!!

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DRIVER: Noy, iatras nako ang jeep. Inga ko palihug kong mabangga.

MANOY: Oki! Sige, atras! Atras pa.......sige pa! Atras gyud! Kana! CraRaAasSshh!Manoy: Oki! Bangga na!

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BALO:Anak: Nay, dili mi mosugot nga magminyo ka nianang tawhana, kadako ba niana!Nanay: Anak, nakadungog ba mo ug balita nga dunay bezong natuk-an?.......ha?

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Naay Iro. Bright kaayo. Imong pangutan-on 2+2, motabag dayon siya ug 4 ka aw-aw.Nakahibalo and silingan, gipangutana ug 2 milyon + 2 milyon.Hangtod karon, sige pa siyag aw aw. Niwang na kaayo.

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Paghi-abot gyud ni Tikya sa Pilipinas gikan sa London pwerti gyud niyang hinam hinam nga makaligo sa Dagat. Miadto dayon siya first thing in the morning sa Dagat nag inosara siya kay gusto gyud niya nga matagbaw. Gihubo gyud dayon niya and iyang tanang sapot sa lawas so naked na gyud siya....ambak dayon siya sa dagat dayong langoy...damtan ug tulo ka oras, natagbaw na gyud siya dayon mi haw-as siya sa tubig unya mibalik didto sa nahimotangan sa imong mga galamiton sa panglawas...Sos, pagbalik niya, wala naman didto ang mga senina ug panty....Pwerting balakaha niya kay unsa-on man niya pag uli nga walay sapot.....mosakay pa ra ba siya ug de pasaheroan nga dyeep padulong sa iyang pinuy-anan. Tabang! So, ipauli nalang siya nga walay sapot...Poor Tikya!

WHO urges smoking ban in public places

The U.N. health agency on Tuesday issued its strongest policy recommendations yet for controlling tobacco use, urging all countries to ban smoking at indoor workplaces and in public buildings. "The evidence is clear. There is no safe level of exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke," said Dr. Margaret Chan, director-general of the World Health Organization. Tobacco use is the world's leading cause of preventable death, accounting for 10 percent of adult fatalities, according to WHO. It is responsible for 5.4 million deaths each year, a figure that is expected to rise to 8.3 million by 2030, the agency says. Increasing numbers of nonsmokers will also die unless governments take action, WHO said in its 50-page report. It said governments of both rich and poor countries should declare all public indoor places smoke-free, by passing laws and actively enforcing measures to ensure that "everyone has a right to breathe clean air, free from tobacco smoke." At least 200,000 workers die each year because of exposure to smoke at their offices and factories, according to the U.N. labor agency. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 3,000 deaths from lung cancer each year occur among nonsmoking Americans. "This is not about shaming the smoker. This is not even about banning smoking," said Dr. Armando Peruga, who heads WHO's anti-tobacco campaign. "This is about society taking decisions about where to smoke and where not to smoke." He cited Ireland and Uruguay as governments that have successfully tackled smoking by creating and enforcing smoke-free environments. Legislation of the kind has proved popular among both smokers and nonsmokers, according to WHO, whose policy recommendations set broad goals for its 193 member states but are not legally binding. Almost half the world's children "some 700 million" are exposed to air polluted by tobacco smoke, particularly at home, WHO says. The agency made its recommendations on the basis of new reports by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the U.S. surgeon general and the California Environmental Protection Agency. WHO said in 2005 that it had stopped hiring smokers, as part of what it termed its "public lead" in the fight against tobacco.

Quakes hits Mindanao & Luzon; no casualties

Earthquakes hit East Mindanao and Central Luzon before dawn and at noon Tuesday, but neither was powerful enough to cause casualties or damage to property, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Tuesday evening. Phivolcs said the first quake occurred at 12:56 a.m., 31 kms northwest of Butuan City in Agusan del Norte. It said the quake was tectonic in origin and measured at magnitude 4.1. The quake was felt at Intensity V in Butuan City, and Intensity IV in Surigao City, but Phivolcs said no damage or aftershock was expected.

Romantic Countries

These are the names of the some romantic countries in the world.

H.O.L.L.A.N.D Hope Our Love Lasts And Never Dies.

I.T.A.L.Y. I Trust And Love You.

L.I.B.Y.A. Love Is Beautiful; You Also.

F.R.A.N.C.E. Friendships Remain And Never Can End.

C.H.I.N.A. Come Here….. I Need Affection.

B.U.R.M.A. Between Us, Remember Me Always.

N.E.P.A.L. Never Ever Part As Lovers.

I.N.D.I.A. I Nearly Died In Adoration.

K.E.N.Y.A Keep Everything Nice, Yet Arousing.

C.A.N.A.D.A. Cute And Naughty Action that developed into attraction

K.O.R.E.A. Keep Optimistic Regardless of Every adversity.

E.G.Y.P.T. Everything's Great, You Pretty Thing!!

M.A.N.I.L.A. May All Nights Inspire Love Always.

P.E.R.U. Phorget (Forget) Everyone... Remember Us.

T.H.A.I.L.A.N.D. Totally Happy. Always In Love And Never Dull.

Caloocan BOC Chair face life imprisonment over Kasangga vote-padding

Partylist groups Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Kabataan and Suara Bangsamoro will file charges tomorrow against the chair of the Board of Canvassers in Caloocan City in connection with alleged tampering of votes in the city in favor of Kasangga partylist. To symbolize the partylist groups’ protest, their pollwatchers in Caloocan City and elsewhere will start wearing black armbands.Kabataan pollwatcher Daniel Cleofas Jr. said he and other pollwatchers witnessed the tampering of votes in at least eleven precincts in favor of partylist group Kasangga, one of the organizations tagged as Malacañang fronts and whose nominees include Malou Arroyo, a sister of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. According to Cleofas, the vote padding was discovered last night in the following:

* In precincts 222-3A and 222-34A, Kasangga votes were increased from one to 81 and 91, respectively.
* In precincts 222-6A and 222-36A, Kasangga votes were raised from two to 42 and 62 respectively.
* In precinct 222-3A, the votes for Kasangga were increased from three to 53.
* In precinct 222-5A, the votes for Kasangga were increased from eight to 98.
* In precincts 222-7A, 223-7A, 223-8A, 223-0A and 222-4A, Kasangga got zero, but the BOC padded votes to 50, 72, 98, 70 and 50, respectively.

Atty. Neri Javier Colmenares, Bayan Muna general counsel, said that BOC chair Atty. Juliet Villar is liable for violation of Comelec Resolution 7859, specifically the provision against “electoral sabotage”. Electoral sabotage is defined as the tampering and changing of votes” and is punishable with life imprisonment. House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo, Anakpawis Rep. Rafael Mariano and Kabataan President Raymond Palatino will go to the Caloocan City canvassing center today to join their pollwatchers. Mariano said that “Malacañang operators have apparently ordered its dirty tricks operators to work overtime to cheat in the canvassing stage. Mariano added that vote-padding in the partylist polls will work against all partylist aspirants because it unduly increases the total partylist votes and consequently the minimum number of votes matching the two-percent requirement for any aspirant to win one seat in the House of Representatives. “This cheating by and for Kasangga cheats the Caloocan people of their choices, works against all partylists, and denies small parties a fair chance of obtaining seats in Congress,” said Mariano. Kabataan’s Palatino said that Task Force Poll Watch has documented scores of incidents of fraud and violence since Election Day.

NAMFREL Quick Count Partial Results (as of 11:45 am, May 17, 2007)

Precincts Tallied 36,400

Percentage of Total 16.20%

1. Legarda, Loren 2,294,936

2. Escudero, Francis Joseph A. 2,239,963

3. Lacson, Panfilo M. 2,065,768

4. Pangilinan, Francis N. 1,910,718

5. Villar, Manuel Bamba Jr. 1,903,203

6. Aquino, Benigno Simeon III C 1,838,609

7. Angara, Edgardo J. 1,674,683

8. Arroyo, Joker 1,508,126

9. Honasan, Gregorio 1,474,828

10. Cayetano, Alan Peter 1,461,375

11. Pimentel,Aquilino DL 1,423,541

12. Trillanes, Antonio IV F 1,416,932

7 sundalo patay sa ambus ng NPA

Baguio City - Napatay ang pitong sundalo matapos tambangan ng mga NPA (New People’s Army) noong Miyerkoles, Mayo 16 sa Brgy. Amtuagan, bayan ng Boliney sa Abra. Kabilang sa mga napatay ay si Lt. Mark Evan Onrubia, lider ng pito kataong tropa mula sa 41st Infantry Battalion na nakabase sa bayan ng Manabo, ayon kay Army Lt. Senior Inspector Dennis Agno ng Regional Police Mobile Group na naka-istasyon sa bayan ng Luba. Itinalaga umano ang mga sundalo para bantayan ang mga election result paraphernalia, ayon sa pahayag ni Agno. Ipinahayag kamakailan ng Chadli Molintas Command ng NPA sa Cordillera at Ilocos Region na maglulunsad ang mga rebelde ng mga opensiba para biguin ang pagtatangka ng mga elemento ng militar na dayain ang resulta ng eleksiyon na pumapabor sa mga kandidato ng administrasyong Arroyo. Nauna rito, tatlong sundalo ang napatay noong Mayo 13 sa bayan ng Bontoc, Mountain Province matapos ding tambangan ng mga NPA.