Cebu Pacific (CEB) is offering a P999 ‘Go Lite’ seat sale to any domestic destination this January 22-24, 2010, for travel this March 1-31, 2010.

CEB recently awarded Rie Shimoda, a division manager for a finance consultancy company in Tokyo, with four round-trip gift certificates to any domestic or international destination in CEB’s extensive network.

She was at the boarding gate, waiting for her Manila-Osaka flight, when her name was called as the airline’s 40 millionth passenger.

Due to this milestone, all domestic destinations are up for grabs for the ‘Go Lite’ seat sale fare of P999. This includes Kalibo (Boracay), Cotabato, Calbayog, Tagbilaran (Bohol), Catarman, and Busuanga (Coron).

Guests who prefer inter-island flights can take Cebu hub flights (Cebu to Clark, Legazpi, Puerto Princesa and Ozamiz, among others) or Davao hub flights (Davao to Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Cebu and Manila).

Those with check-in luggage will just add P100 upon booking. “Since CEB started operations in 1996, we have been introducing great value fares to the traveling public. We truly thank every Juan for their support,” said CEB VP for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog.

“We hope our passengers can take advantage of our P999 seat sale as they start their summer vacations, visit family and friends, and travel for business this March,” she added.

For inquiries or booking needs, For booking needs, passengers can check out www.cebupacificair.com or call the CEB reservation hotlines (02) 7020-888 or (032) 230-8888.

Philippine Airlines (PAL) is offering discounted, short-term promotional fares on flights to all its domestic jet destinations and most major international points as the flag carrier marks the arrival of its second Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

Dubbed “Valentine Special,” the promo drops PAL fares to a flat rate of P777 for a one-way flight on Fiesta Class (economy) between Manila and any point in Luzon or Visayas, and between Cebu and Davao.

For one-way flights on Fiesta Class between Manila and any point in Mindanao, the promo fare is P1,777.

Covered by the promo are PAL-operated flights between Manila and Bacolod, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao, Dipolog, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo, Kalibo, Laoag, Legazpi, Ozamiz, Puerto Princesa, Roxas, Tacloban, Tagbilaran and Zamboanga; as well as between Cebu and Davao.

In the international sector, PAL is offering the following special round-trip, Fiesta Class fares between Manila and choice destinations: $128 for Hong Kong, Macau or Taipei; $158 for Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City; $178 for Singapore or Jakarta; $258 for Osaka or Shanghai; $328 for Beijing; $518 for Tokyo; and $798 for Los Angeles or San Francisco.

Passengers availing of the Tokyo promo enjoy the added perk of flying in style onboard the luxurious B777-300ER, PAL’s brand-new, state-of-the-art aircraft.  PAL takes delivery of its second B777 on January 21, 2010.

The promo fares already include surcharges but are exclusive of government taxes.  They are non-refundable although rebooking is allowed.

These fares are available for ticketing until January 25, 2010 and are valid for travel from February 1 to March 15, 2010.

Those availing of the promo may do so on a “book and buy” basis via www.philippineairlines.com, at any PAL ticket office or through accredited travel agents.

For inquiries, passengers are advised to call PAL Reservations at (02) 855-8888 in Manila, (032) 340-0191 in Cebu or (082) 222-0366 in Davao.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has recently convened with its partners and stakeholders in the seafaring industry to address the impact of piracy on Filipino seafarers and their families in Somalia.

The tripartie meeting  tackled issues on how to alleviate the effects of piracy on waters off Somalia to the families of seafarers and the seafaring industry.

Among the measures discussed were the provision of psycho-social counseling and support services for the abducted and their families, emergency financial assistance and strict monitoring of compliance to the rules set by the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) governing board resolution.

The POEA board resolution states that ship owners, managers and manning agencies hiring Filipino seafarers should ensure that vessels transiting through the Gulf of Aden “shall pass only within the Maritime Security Patrol Area,” submit an appropriate security plan to all ships passing through the area, provide training to their crew on how to avoid, react and cope with piracy and other related incidents, and  immediately report to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and DOLE any incidents of piracy involving their ships and share their experiences in handling these incidents.

DOLE SEc. Marianito Roque has directed the POEA and OWWA to spearhead this effort to put in safety nets and safety measures to protect our seafarers.

The tripartite meeting will serve as a blueprint to protect seamen from the continuing hijacking incidents in Somalia area.

Roque said that the piracy in Somalia has come to an alarming proportion, affecting not only the Philippines, but other European countries and the United States as well.

“While some have measures in place, we want to set stronger safety nets for our seamen.”  In November alone, four incidents of hijacking were reported in which 71 Filipinos were abducted.

Last year, 16 abduction incidents were reported involving 197 Filipino seafarers but all of them have already been released.

Social Weather Stations The First Quarter 2009 Social Weather Survey, fielded over February 20-23, 2009, found that 43% of voting-age Filipinos disagree, and only 31% agree, with the statement, “Tapat si Pangulong Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sa kanyang balak na pagbaba sa pwesto sa 2010″ ["President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sincerely intends to step down in 2010"]. Others (26%) are undecided about this matter. This is more skeptical than in the September 29-October 4, 2008 SWS survey, which found that 39% disagreed and 33% agreed with the same test statement. Twenty-seven percent were undecided. Disagreement about the President’s sincerity rose by 11 points in Mindanao, from 30% in October 2008 to 41% in February 2009, and by 5 points in the Visayas, from 32% to 37%. It barely changed in other areas: it went from 52% to 51% in Metro Manila, and from 43% to 44% in Balance Luzon. It eased by 13 points in class ABC, from 53% to 40%, while it rose by 5 points in class D or the masa, from 38% to 43%, and by 3 points in class E, from 38% to 41%.

Survey background The First Quarter 2009 Social Weather Survey was conducted over February 20 – 23, 2009 using face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults in Metro Manila, the Balance of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao (sampling error margins of ±3% for national percentages, ±6% for area percentages). The area estimates were weighted by National Statistics Office medium-population projections for 2009 to obtain the national estimates. The survey item measuring public opinion on the sincerity of the President to step down in 2010 is not commissioned, but is done on SWS’s own initiative and released as a public service.

 

 

 

As authorized by the survey sponsor, for the information of the public, Social Weather Stations is disclosing the results of a survey item on the Best Leader to Succeed Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2010 commissioned by Ms. Avic Amarillo in behalf of Senator Manuel Villar, Jr. in the SWS survey fielded over April 16-May 6, 2009, which were referred to in the news item, “SWS: Race narrows down to Villar, Noli, Mar”, in the June 18, 2009 issue of the Philippine Star. (Ms. Amarillo is the Media Officer of Senator Manuel Villar, Jr.)

The SWS May 2009 survey found that Senator Manny Villar, Vice-President Noli De Castro, and Senator Mar Roxas are the people’s top recommended successors to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in 2010.

The survey question asked was, “Sa ilalim ng kasalukuyang Konstitusyon, ang termino ni Pang. Arroyo ay hanggang sa taong 2010 lamang at magkakaroon ng halalan para sa pagka-pangulo sa Mayo 10, 2010. Sinu-sino sa palagay ninyo ang mga magagaling na lider na dapat pumalit kay Pang. Arroyo bilang Presidente? Maaari po kayong magbanggit ng hanggang tatlong sagot.”[Under the present Constitution, the term of Pres. Arroyo is up to 2010 only, and there will be an election for a new President in May 2010. Who do you think are good leaders who should succeed Pres. Arroyo as President? You may give up to three names].

To that question, 29% named Sen. Villar, 21% named Vice-Pres. De Castro, and 18% named Sen. Roxas.

They were followed by Sen. Francis Escudero (15%), Sen. Loren Legarda (14%), former Pres. Joseph Estrada (13%), and Sen. Panfilo Lacson (12%).

No list of names was provided to prompt the respondents.

The survey found that 2% mentioned Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and Pres. Gloria Arroyo, while 1% mentioned Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Sen. Richard Gordon, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, and MMDA Chairperson Bayani Fernando.

One out of five (20%) could not give an answer, and 9% had no one to recommend.

Compared to February 2009, the mentions rose by 3 points for Sen. Villar and Sen. Roxas, by 2 points for Pres. Arroyo, and by 1 point for Mayor Binay.

The mentions went down by 11 points for Sen. Legarda, by 8 points for Sen. Escudero, by 6 points for Vice-Pres. De Castro, by 3 points for Sen. Defensor-Santiago, by 2 points for Sen. Lacson, and by 1 point for Sen. Estrada and Sen. Revilla.

The question wording has been exactly the same in the past eight surveys shown in Table 1.

Survey Background

The surveys of September and December 2007, March and June 2008, and February 2009 had sample sizes of 1,200 adults, for error margins of ±3%. The September and December 2008 surveys had sample sizes of 1,500 adults, for error margins of ±2.5%. The April 16-May 6 survey had a sample size of 7,000 registered voters, for an error margin of ±1.2%.

All surveys were conducted using face-to-face interviews.

 

 

 

 

Global stock markets have collapsed, wiping out billions and billions of investments.  The financial crisis has not spared any nation on earth.  Millions of employees and workers have lost their jobs.  Pensioners are broke because their pensions invested in stocks by fund managers were all gone. According to John Plender, author of Investment and the crisis, industry experts said that most of the $85 billion invested in transactions since 2005 had been wiped out.  The Boston consulting Group said potential losses from defaults on leveraged buyout debt could reach $300 billion in a market with $1 trillion of debt outstanding.   How will this affect the ordinary man in the street?  Well, for one thing, there is not much demand and could possibly trigger reduction in prices of essential items.  While banks would be hesitant to lend money, businesses are likely to shut down because they could not make money without the demand.  Maybe for the rich people, it would hardly affect them at least.  How about you, what do you think about the current crisis? Did it affect you? Or just ignore it.

2009 would perhaps be another challenging year after the unprecedented global economic recession in Sept 2008 spawned by the credit crunch in the US.  There are a lot of questions unanswered.   How long would this recession last?  How would the world economies recover despite the cut in interest rates to almost zero? Would the declining demand continue and for how long?  The worst effects of the credit crunch may have yet to be felt by the ordinary man on the street. In the midst of this difficult economic situation, the conflict in the Middle East has worsened as Israel and Palesntinian’s Hamas faction continue their war.  What’s your outlook for the new year?  Are you optimistic or pessimistic?

The Black & White Movement condemns the kidnapping of ABS-CBN Senior Reporter Ces Orena Drilon, ABS-CBN News cameraman Jimmy Encarnacion, assistant cameraman and driver, Angel Valderama, and Octavio Dinampo, president of the Mindanao People’s Caucus.  We appeal to their captors for their unconditional release.

Nothing positive can be gained from acts such as this.  The taking of hostages further endangers the deteriorating peace situation in Mindanao and hinders the progress toward harmony.

We urge all government agencies concerned to exert all efforts to ensure the protection and safe homecoming of Ces, Jimmy, Angel and Octavio, but also, to resist the lovers of war.

Many of us know Ces and Octavio personally.  Ces has interviewed and consulted on several news stories, while Octavio has worked side by side with those of us working in the NGO community and peace efforts.

Our hearts go out to their families, we pray for them as we can only imagine the tension and fear that grip their hearts.  We commiserate with their friends and colleagues and we continue to pray for the speedy yet peaceful resolution of this crisis.

by AT

1. A sign in a flower shop in Diliman called Petal Attraction.

2. Anita Bakery

3. A 24-hour restaurant called Doris Day & Night

4. Barber shop called Felix The Cut;

5. A bakery named Bread Pitt

6. Fast-food place selling ‘maruya’ (banana fritters) called Maruya Carey.

7. Then, there is Christopher Plumbing

8. A boutique called The Way We Wear

9. A video rental shop called Leon King Video Rental

10. A restaurant in Cainta district of Rizal called Caintacky Fried Chicken

11. A local burger restaurant called Mang Donald’s

12. A doughnut shop called MacDonuts

13. A shop selling ‘lumpia’ (egg roll) in Makati called Wrap and Roll

14. And two butcher shops called Meating Place and Meatropolis.

       Smart travelers can decipher what may look like baffling signs to
       unaccustomed foreigners by simply sounding out the ‘Taglish’ (The
       Philippine version of English words spelled and pronounced with a heavy Filipino such as:

15. At a restaurant menu in Cebu ‘We hab sopdrink in can an in batol’
            [translation: We have soft drinks in can and in bottle].

16. Then, there is a sewing accessories shop called Bids And Pises -
            [translation: Beads and Pieces --or-- Bits and Pieces] 

There are also many signs with either badly chosen or misspelled words but
they are usually so entertaining that it would be a mistake to ‘correct’
them like…….

17. In a restaurant in Baguio City , the ’summer capital’ of the
Philippines : ‘ Wanted: Boy Waitress’

18. On a highway in Pampanga: ‘We Make Modern Antique Furniture’

19. On the window of a photography shop in Cabanatuan : ‘We Shoot You While
You Wait’

20. And on the glass front of a cafe in Panay Avenue in Manila : ‘Wanted:
Waiter, Cashier, Washier’.

Some of the notices can even give a wrong impression such as:

21. A shoe store in Pangasinan which has a sign saying: ‘We Sell Imported
Robber Shoes’ (these could be the ’sneakiest’ sneakers);

22. A rental property sign in Jaro reads: ‘House For Rent, Fully Furnaced’
(it must really be hot inside)!

23. Occasionally, one could come across signs that are truly unique – if
not altogether odd. City in southern Philippines which said: ‘Adults: 1
peso; Child: 50 centavos; Cadavers: fare subject to negotiation’ .

24. European tourists may also be intrigued to discover two competing shops
selling hopia (a Chinese pastry) called Holland Hopia and Poland Hopia -
which are owned and operated by two local Chinese entrepreneurs, Mr. Ho and
Mr. Po respectively – (believe it or not)!

25. Some folks also ‘creatively’ redesign English to be more efficient.
‘The creative confusion between language and culture leads to more than
just simple unintentional errors in syntax, but in the adoption of new
words, ’says reader Robert Goodfellow who came across a sign …..House
Fersallarend’ (house for sale or rent). Why use five words when two will do?

26. According to Manila businessman, Tonyboy Ongsiako, there is so much wit
in the Philippines because ‘We are a country where a good sense of humor
is needed to survive’. We have a 24-hour comedy show here called the
government and a huge reserve of comedians made up mostly of politicians
and bad actors.

by AT

When I travel, people often ask me why I live in the Philippines?

Well here it is…It is the only place on earth where……

1. Every street has a basketball court.
2. Even doctors, lawyers and engineers are unemployed.
3. Doctors study to become nurses for employment abroad.
4. Students pay more money than they will earn afterwards.
5. School is considered the second home and the mall considered the third.
6. Call-center employees earn more money than teachers and nurses.
7. Everyone has his personal ghost story and superstition.
8. Mountains like Makiling and Banahaw are considered holy places.
9. Everything can be forged.
10. All kinds of animals are edible.
11. Starbucks coffee is more expensive than gas.
12. Driving 4 kms can take as much as four hours.
13. Flyovers bring you from the freeway to the side streets.
14. Crossing the street involves running for your dear life.
15. The personal computer is mainly used for games and Friendster.
16. Where colonial mentality is dishonestly denied!
17. Where 4 a.m. is not even considered bedtime yet.
18. People can pay to defy the law.
19. Everything and everyone is spoofed.
20. Where even the poverty-stricken get to wear Ralph Lauren and Tommy  Hilfiger
21. The honking of car horns is a way of life.
22. Being called a bum is never offensive.
23. Floodwaters take up more than 90 percent of the streets during the  rainy season.
24. Where everyone has a relative abroad who keeps them alive.
25. Where wearing your national colors make you baduy.
26. Where even the poverty-stricken have the latest cell phones ,  (GSM-galing sa magnanakaw)
27. Where insurance does not work.
28. Where water can only be classified as tap and dirty.
29. Clean water is for sale (35 pesos per gallon).
30. Where the government makes the people pray for miracles. (Amen to that!)
31. Where University of the Philippines where all the weird people go.
32. Ateneo is where all the nerds go.
33. La Salle is where all the Chinese go.
34. College of Saint Benilde is where all the stupid Chinese go and;
35. University of Asia and the Pacific is where all the irrelevantly rich  people go.
36. Fast food is a diet meal.
37. Traffic signs are merely suggestions, not regulations.
38. Where being mugged is normal and It happens to everyone.
39. Rodents are normal house pets.
40. The definition of traffic is the ‘non-movement’ of vehicles.
41. Where the fighter planes of the 1940s are used for military engagements  and;
42. The new fighter planes are displayed in museums.
43. Where cigarettes and alcohol are a necessity, and where the lottery is  a commodity.
44. Where soap operas tell the realities of life and where the news  provides the drama.
45. Where actors make the rules and where politicians provide the  entertainment.
46. People can get away with stealing trillions of pesos but not a  thousand.
47. Where being an hour late is still considered punctual (Grabe talaga  ‘to!)
48. Where the squatters have more to complain (even if they do not pay  their tax) – than those employed and have their tax automatically deducted  from their salaries.
49. And where everyone wants to leave the country!