ARLENE pasaje's

favorite street food... unsafe?

2012-02-05T18:24:00.000-08:00

moments to shine (showbiz!!!!)

2012-02-05T18:18:00.000-08:00

man made disaster or wrath of nature

2012-02-05T18:13:00.000-08:00

weather weder lang

2012-02-05T18:10:00.000-08:00

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

2011-12-28T07:57:00.000-08:00

poster designs

2011-12-16T07:36:00.000-08:00

dabbling with graphic designs

2011-12-16T07:31:00.000-08:00

JUSTICE DELAYED is justice relayed!

2011-12-16T03:41:00.000-08:00

It’s Christmas time.

     Everyone looks forward to the get a whiff from delicious traditional dishes, sizzling sisig and grilled barbeque . Instead, the air reeks with stench from the gutters of political cesspool because of the thugs at war eerr… tug of war game the president elect and the midnight appointed Supreme Court judge is currently playing.

     Political analysts express contradicting views about the consequence of the political catfight. Intellectualized and brilliant interpretations on “what would be” spurred and cramped the internet. Free for all fracas and exchange of spicy rebuttals between the parties at odds have been hugging the headlines both to the entertainment of vultures in the politics watching the fray from the bleachers but to the dismay of billions of daily earners who break bones from sunrise to sunset just to make both ends meet.

      Children who look forward to see Santa’s smiles pasted on magazine covers instead, see senator-judges clad in P5,000 worth magenta or red togas with gold sash and frozen in firing squad stance captured in panoramic pictures. Sadly, those innocent eyes are devoid of clues why.

      For goodness sake! The yearlong dizzying roller coaster ride of economic and political instability and unpredictable oil price rollbacks and hikes have already benumbed the public. This season is the only time of the year where we want nothing but to be happy and to bask " in the spirit of Christmas exchanging cheap gifts while singing " Kasadya" and Ania Kami". We must not allow the tug of war between the “justice crown” and the “Malacanang denizen” and political balderdash spoil this season we celebrate.

     Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago once expressed concern about the lack of legal background of some fellow senators who will act as judges during Corona’s trial. “Since not all senators are lawyers, or if they studied law but never practiced in a trial court, they might depend too heavily on their consultants, and in effect it might be the consultants who are casting the vote during the final decision,” the senator who is a former Quezon City Regional Trial Court judge herself said.

     But it doesn’t take a lawyer to understand what is happening now. Even a lowly sidewalk vendor understands that the root of this political melee is greed and hunger for power.

   It's christmas time!! Let’s leave the grilling of Justice Corona to the senators while we grill pork chops for noche Buena.

   Lord Salisbury once said, if you believe the doctors, nothing is wholesome; if you believe the theologians, nothing is innocent; if you believe the military, nothing is safe.

What if we believe in lawyers then?

Scary. Duh.

CORRUPTION!!! an incurable disease

2011-12-07T03:14:00.000-08:00

shrinking airspace, increasing number of faster and modern fleet

2011-11-24T09:04:00.000-08:00

CAAP’s milestone through Performance Based Navigation

Air travel has grown by leaps and bounds. Despite the fiscal financial crisis that hounds many countries and the downgrading of the civil aviation industry from Category 1 by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) in November 2007 and recently by the International Civil aviation Organization (ICAO) the, Philippine air travel continuous to be in full zip.

The increase in both local and international air traffic travels to different parts in Asia is evident by congesting air traffic. Fleets of aircraft servicing different hubs and plying many routes to and from various Asian cities have tripled. Intense promotional wars on low cost airfares changed the penchant of transport mode of the traveling public who used to take buses and ships.

In Davao International Airport alone, Air traffic has quadrupled in numbers in a span of one and a half decades. As a Senior Air Traffic Controller assigned at Davao Control Tower for sixteen years, I have witnessed how air travel landscape changed. Arriving and departing air traffic converge within Davao airspace anytime of the day. Surge of inbound traffic come by fives and six at almost the same time that the entire ramp bays are occupied. Long queues of passengers are seen boarding and getting off the planes. Every day, Davao International Airport becomes an hub bustling with air travel related activities and last flight daily leaves as late as midnight.

But while air travel increased, the available airspace, navigational aids and competence of personnel compliment remain the same. These odds consequently led to inevitable delays especially when the traffic in NAIA reached its maximum during the peak hours.

Since its creation in 2008 by virtue of the passage of the Bali Act 9497, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines became a government-owned and controlled corporation (GOCC). Bestowed with a quasi-judicial authority and quasi-legislative power, CAAP is delegated to redraft the intricate and dense topography of the Philippine civil aviation especially in the Air Traffic Service and to develop the aviation industry at par with the neighboring countries. With such task, CAAP is faced with a huge task to address the looming complications especially in the area of air traffic service brought about by the growing number of air traffic vis a vis the same airspace which full use have been limited by conventional air traffic management procedures and capabilities of the land based navigational aids.

Interestingly, CAAP stands up to the challenge and fearlessly faces the tasks head on. Two years ago, the CAAP management embarks on another milestone to reshape Philippine aviation topography through performance based navigation.

Cognizant that other neighboring countries are already enjoying the benefits of PBN, CAAP sent some air traffic controllers abroad to train as airspace designers.

These designers create Performance Based Navigation compliant airspace designs to address the need for more airspace capacity, ensure continuous civil aviation safety, while also reducing ground infrastructure investment expenses.

This move is also in consonance with the ICAO Resolution A36-23 adopted in Montreal in September 2007 urging all States to implement RNAV and RNP air traffic services (ATS) routes and approach procedures in accordance with ICAO PBN concept described in the PBN Manual (Doc 9613)

ICAO and IATA training in Davao

Just recently, a five day training workshop on Performance Based Navigation was conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Asia-Pacific Flight procedure programme and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) here in Davao City.

Spearheaded by the Airspace Procedure Design Division- Air Traffic Service, the nationwide event was attended by the Philippine Air Force Pilots and Air traffic controllers from major airports like Manila, Mactan, Davao, Subic, Clark, Palawan, Kalibo, Zamboanga, Bacolod and Tacloban.

Walter White, a former Air Traffic Controller and Noppadol Pringvanich, an Thai airline pilot were the ICAO programme instructors of the workshop. The trainees were taught the concept of the Performance Based Navigation and the basics of airspace designs. Specifically, the Davao Terminal Area (TMA) design was the first project of the group.

“Series of trainings PBN training had been going on conducted by Quovadis , the Airbus subsidiary company that conceptualize PBN. The November 7 to 11 training workshop here in Davao was the only one held outside Manila,” Jessicca Jamero, a CAAP Airspace designer trained in France and program coordinator of the PBN training revealed. Davao would be the first recipient of this new Air Traffic Management Procedures considering that air traffic has significantly grown fourfold in a span of a decade added by the fact that the terrain in the surrounding aerodrome is challenging.

What is Performance Based Navigation

Performance Based Navigation (PBN) is a concept that allows flying through accurately designed paths or airways without relying heavily on ground-based navigation aids.

The reliability of the ground based navigation like the DVOR/DME and ILS system aids are often compromised during power outage. To recall, the recent outage of the Manila DVOR/DME and ILS system NAIA June 2010, disrupted the orderly flow of air traffic that many flights were diverted to other aerodromes. The loss of revenue as offshoot of the unexpected outage reached billions of pesos.

With PBN, navigation is aided by Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) which provide predictable level of navigation performance in the course of flight of each aircraft. PBN ensures continuous civil aviation safety, allows direct, shorter routing and continuous descent operations (CDO) technique maximizes the benefit of reducing fuel burn, manages more stabilized approaches and consequently, effects the optimal use of airspace.

To date, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines through the Airspace Procedure Design Division lay the objectives of PBN implementation as follows to: take full advantage of the benefits of PBN; to be consistent in the implementation of RNAV and RNP ATS Routes and approach procedures with that of the Asia Pacific Region ICAO PBN Implementation Plan; ensure that the implementation of the Navigation aspect of CNS/ATM system is based on established operational requirements; develop a transition strategy from sensor-based navigation to area navigation that will minimize multiple equipment required on board an aircraft and on the ground; provide the time frame for the aviation community to comply with the corresponding requirements of different navigation applications that are defined to facilitate global harmonization of PBN implementation, and ensure a safe transition from conventional means of navigation to performance-based navigation.

Generally, PBN spells more advantages to the aviation industry service providers and users since it allows optimal use of airspace, , continuous and more reliable an use of satellite based navigation, requires less workload for air traffic controllers environment friendly with less fuel consumed.

Although still on its planning and designing stage, the implementation of Performance Based Navigation could be instrumental in CAAP’s drive to comply with the deadline set by Philippine government to make the country’s aviation achieve Category 1 status with Federal Aviation Authority by June 2012.

(Arlene Diana-Pasaje, Senior Air Traffic Controller, Davao Aerodrome/Approach Control Tower

Participant in the PBN Concept Workshop held in Davao City on November 7-11, 2011)

2011-11-24T08:57:00.001-08:00

where fathers, brothers and sons were lost...

2011-10-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

EXPECT shortage of TUBA!!!

2011-10-09T21:58:00.000-07:00

dare devils on the road

2011-10-09T21:50:00.000-07:00

philippine justice system part 2

2011-09-13T18:08:00.000-07:00

ten tribes, one vibe

2011-08-23T08:04:00.000-07:00

promi"SORRY" note

2011-08-11T07:46:00.000-07:00

who can blame the poorest? all they got are promises of better health services from the government. apparently, the funds are siphoned by those HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS whose sadistic and narcissistic appetite for power are beyond cure. isn't it but fitting that deprived ones also pay their hospital dues with "promises". (buti na lang, may iniwan pa na cellphone.)

haunted by the ghost of FPJ

2011-08-11T07:44:00.000-07:00

daily headlines banner the names of those who were involve in the ELECTION FRAUD four years ago. Eaten by guilt, the "witnesses" are doing the last minute conscience cleansing. kudos to these "witnesses of the state"!! they must be avid followers of 100 DAYS AND 100 WAYS to seek inner peace.
(life is short. nobody knows when the "time" comes.)

IT'S ABOUT TIME...

2011-07-28T09:38:00.000-07:00

to those who can't relate, please DON'T comment

2011-07-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

FLASH FLOOD!!!!

2011-06-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

spratley splat

2011-06-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

lack of funds, lask of fun...

2011-06-12T07:52:00.000-07:00

CORRECTIONS PLEASE!!!!

2011-05-26T19:04:00.000-07:00

go to the world and.... say what? MULTIPLY? MALASWA YAN!

2011-05-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

duckies of death (the kiss of death, actually!)

2011-04-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

mining as a way of life

2011-04-27T06:46:00.000-07:00

despite and inspite...

2011-04-19T14:09:00.000-07:00

whole year ordeal

2011-04-13T21:04:00.000-07:00

misused and abused

2011-03-31T11:35:00.000-07:00

China on Wednesday executed three Filipinos who were convicted of drug smuggling despite last-minute appeals for clemency and political concessions by Philippine leaders, officials said.

The three had not been told they would be executed Wednesday, although their sentences were promulgated early in the day, Philippine Consul Noel Novicio said. It was the first time that Philippine citizens were executed in China.

China normally does not announce executions. Amnesty International says China is the world's biggest executioner, with thousands of convicts killed every year. The Philippines has abolished the death penalty.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/news/world

nagbabadya...

2011-03-25T18:19:00.000-07:00

uphill battle

2011-03-10T13:41:00.000-08:00

manhid na ang publiko!!!

2011-03-10T13:40:00.000-08:00

the culture of corruption is e v e r y w h e r e!!!

2011-02-24T09:57:00.000-08:00

productive or unproductive

2011-02-20T12:51:00.000-08:00

The Reproductive Health Bill, popularly known as the RH Bill, is a Philippine bill aiming to guarantee universal access to methods and information on birth control and maternal care. The bill has become the center of a contentious national debate. There are presently two bills with the same goals: House Bill No. 96 or the Reproductive Health Act and Population and Development Act of 2010 introduced by Albay 1st District representative Edcel Lagman, and Senate Bill No. 2378 or the Reproductive Health Act introduced by Senator Meriam Santiago

While there is general agreement about its provisions on maternal and child health, there is great debate on its key proposal that the Filipino taxpayer and the private sector will fund and undertake widespread distribution of family planning devices such as birth control pills and iuds government continues to disseminate information on their use through all health care centers. Private companies and the public and private elementary and secondary school system will be required to participate in this information and product dissemination as a way of controlling the population of the Philippines.^[1] (BCPs) and

The bill is highly controversial, with experts, academics, religious institutions, and major political figures both supporting and opposing it, often criticizing the government and each other in the process. The issue is so divisive that at one point, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines threatened to excommunicate the President, Benigno Aquino III if he supported the bill. (wikipedia)

new faces of crimes

2011-02-09T13:31:00.000-08:00

REGULATE the deregulated

2011-01-12T10:28:00.000-08:00

its the climb...

2011-01-03T12:47:00.000-08:00

diring dapita WALAY PABUTO

2011-01-03T12:45:00.000-08:00

MERREY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!

2011-01-03T12:42:00.000-08:00

figures of speech

2010-12-19T07:53:00.000-08:00

filthy, filthy, filthy! what a pity

2010-12-19T07:40:00.000-08:00

condemned condom

2010-11-30T10:13:00.000-08:00

eternal dependence on oil

2010-11-18T06:01:00.000-08:00

i used pencil with this.... i like it.

always ALERT during RED ALERTS

2010-11-11T06:08:00.000-08:00

letter bomb

2010-11-07T06:42:00.000-08:00

cartel strikes again...again... and again!

2010-11-01T05:37:00.000-07:00

EDGEdavao cover design on GENERICS MEDS

2010-10-26T17:22:00.000-07:00

A common sight.

Majority of the Filipino people have no choice but to swallow this bitter pill.

MEDICINES IN THE PHILIPPINES ARE VERY EXPENSIVE.

(now, who dares to say the cost of living here is cheap?

worse, try to research on the cost of dying.)

MY FOUNDATION OF BARANGAY ELECTION

2010-10-26T13:52:00.000-07:00

This barangay election reminds me of the "many loong long time ago" election we had in our barrio.Political wannabees used to discuss politics and the "fate"of the barrio over "kalteks sa tuba-(caltex plastic container of engine oil washed thoroughly and used as tuba container). They predicted the election results and the winners three weeks before the election while pushing bottle caps and stones playing dama set etched on a wooden "tugas" bench. They guffawed and debated over their political beliefs while munching "linuyang na saging". Brilliant minds despite limited school exposure.

There were some whom i knew were being elected into office because of the "kumpare" system. But the most unique was the "no vote, ibot" silent campaign of some political contenders i knew. "No vote, ibot" meant ---- kung dili nimo iboto ang maong kandidato, ibot ang imong balay sa iyang yuta".And yes, the landlord won the election.

But i would like to make this article as a tribute to a man i dearly called "Tatay Kasi" (with a stress on the last syllable of his name). He was my tatay when my real tatay was thousand miles asea. He was the one who helped me repaired my crude slingshot made by my brother. He was the one who tirelessly hoisted me atop the carabao's back when i falll in every i tried. All i've known was that, he never even graduated from the elementary level but he is a brilliant man who know many things about the laws or "balaud". He always started his mentoring on me with " matud pa sa balaud".

He was elected as barangay kagawad for three consecutive terms. A good man. A better barangay Official. The best and most well verse in barangay laws. Though today, he can barely walk without a cane but he is still mentally sharper and more politically opinionated than the "new generation" of politicos in our barrio.

To Tatay Kasi.... mabuhay ang kalteks!!!

MULTIPLY AND MULTIPLY

2010-10-26T13:17:00.000-07:00

a guy with a pin to burst your bubbles...

(from karen carpenter)

MULTIPLY!!!

2010-10-12T15:29:00.000-07:00

anak ng jueteng...

2010-09-30T18:49:00.000-07:00

senior's privilege

2010-09-24T09:43:00.000-07:00

COMMON VEHICULAR ACCIDENTS

2010-09-16T17:02:00.000-07:00

PRESS IMAGE TO ENLARGE MONKEYbus

CORRUPTION SEWERAGE

2010-09-09T21:22:00.000-07:00

MONKEYbusiness

dengue epidemic

2010-09-06T01:35:00.000-07:00

MONKEYbusiness

MANILA HOSTAGE TAKING

2010-08-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

monkeyBUSINESS

PIECE OF PEACE

2010-08-18T17:35:00.000-07:00

KARMASUTRA OF GREEDY OFFICIALS AND THE PAST LEADERSHIP

2010-08-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

ORDINARYONG TA-O, ALWAYS THE BIR'S VICTIMS

2010-07-27T18:01:00.000-07:00

DRAINED TREASURY

2010-07-27T17:48:00.000-07:00

WHEN A CRISIS IS NOT A CRISIS

2010-07-23T01:45:00.000-07:00

BLOOD SUCKING TERRORISTS

2010-07-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

(the cover design i made for the edgeDAVAO)

Aedes

is a genus of mosquito originally found in tropical and subtropical zones, but has spread by human activity to all continents excluding Antarctica. Several of the species transmit important human diseases and one species, Aedes albopictus, is the most invasive mosquito in the world. The name comes from the Greek aēdēs, meaning "unpleasant" or "odious", so called because of the diseases this type of mosquito transmits, including dengue fever and yellow fever. In Polynesia, the species Aedes polynesiensis is responsible for the transmission of human lymphatic filariasis including species of Brugia as well as others(wikipedia)

Anopheles

have been found to be the vectors of malaria in different parts of the world. Gambiae complex is the chief vector in Africa and A. freeborni in N. America. Nearly 45 species of the mosquito have been found in India and A. culicifacies, A. fluviatilis, A. minimus, A. philippinensis, A. stephensi, A. sundaicus, and A. leucosphyrushave been implicated in the transmission of malaria. The areas of distribution are different for these mosquitoes: A. fluviatilis, A. minimus are found in the foot-hill regions, A. stephensi, A. sundaicus are found in the coastal regions, A. culicifacies and A. philippinensis are found in the plains. Species like A. stephensi are highly adaptable and are found to be very potent vectors of human malaria.(malaria site)

WEATHER OR not

2010-07-16T02:18:00.000-07:00

scam bug

2010-07-11T05:18:00.000-07:00

perennial hostage

2010-07-02T03:38:00.000-07:00

what the oil cartel does is confuse and hostage the public emotionally, psychologically and economically infusing series of "conditioning spells" by erratically rolling back and increasing the oil price. look around and you see people already benumbed and tormented accepting in silence the handiwork of oil gods...

a growing wart of a problem

2010-07-02T03:26:00.000-07:00

P-NOY in action

2010-06-19T01:43:00.000-07:00

PURGE CORRUPTION

2010-06-11T06:51:00.000-07:00

LIGHTS...WATER....ACTION!!!

2010-06-11T06:44:00.000-07:00

enrollment woes (again...and again!!!)

2010-05-28T02:54:00.000-07:00

PORK BARREL

2010-05-21T07:39:00.000-07:00

Wikipedia defines pork barrel as “a derogatory term used to describe government spending that is intended to enrich constituents of a politician in return for their political support, either in the form of campaign contributions or votes.”

“Military spending, public works projects and agricultural subsidies are the most commonly cited examples, but do not exhaust the possibilities,” Wikipedia explains further. “Pork barreling is an important explanation for government deficits.”

SPELUNKING WITH BANAKON (IN OKBOT CAVE)

2010-05-21T00:17:00.000-07:00

According to some Kapalong locals, some caves near Okbot are haven of the feared King Cobra, locally known as BANAKON. The tower boys are planning to invade their nest on their next planned spelunking sometime in August. This trip will prove or disprove their theory that BANAKONS are harmless when not threatened and would only bite those who make eye to eye contact with them.

"AYAW GYUD LINGI KUNG SITSITAN KA SA BANAKON. BAHALA NA KUNG GUKURON KA NIYA, AYAW GYUD LINGI KAY MASUKO NI KUNG TUTUKAN. sssssssshhhhh...

MAO NANG UBAN, MAPAAKAN KAY MULINGI MAN."

SCIENTIFIC NAME: ophiophagus hannah

TYPE: Reptile DIET: CArnivore

AVERAGE SPAN IN THE WILD: 20 years

SIZE: 13 ft (4 meters) WEIGHT: Up to 20lbs (9kg)

Did you know that synthetic cobra venom is used in pain relievers and arthritis medication?

Size relative to a 6 ft (2m) man: It seems unfairly menacing that a snake that can literally "stand up" and look a ful-grown person in the eye would also be among the most venomous on the planet. that is the king cobra.

King cobras can reach 18 feet (5.5meters) in length, making them the longest of all venomous snales. When confronted, they can raise up to one-third of their bodies straight off the ground and still move forwards to attack. They will also flare our their iconic hoods and emit a bone-chilling hiss that sounds almost like a growling dog.

Their venom is not the most potent among venomous snakes but the amount of neurotoxin they can deliver in a single bite - up to two tenths of a fluid ounce (seven milliliters) is enough to kill 20 people, or even an elephant. Fortunately, king cobras are shy and will avoid humans whenever possible, but they are fiercely aggressive when cornered.

They are the only snakes in the world that build nests for their eggs, which they guard ferociously until the hatching emerge.

King Cobras may be known as the species of choice for the snakes charmers of South Asia.Although cobras can hear, they are actually deaf to ambient noises, sensing ground vibrations instead. (national geographic)

SPELUNKING (OKBOT CAVE)

2010-05-17T19:21:00.001-07:00

ENTRANCE IS CHEAP,

EXIT IS NEGOTIABLE!!!

this is a tribute to the DAVAO TOWER BOYS who conquered the NPA infested hills of kapalong, skid with their padded asses downhill, swam their way into... groped in the dark bumping around those stalagmites armed only with headlights...burrowed their way digging sands for bigger entrance into the caves, wiggled their way out those cracks with frogs goading them to "keep going and never quit", clicked their cameras with gusto in every underground station they found...posing, joking...having fun!!! GOOD WORK GUYS...loiue philip magbanua, larry velasco, melvin sajenes, don colibao,edwin gestuveo, ramir, pangilinan,albin durano, josel tuquib...

YOU GIVE ME MANY COMIC RELIEFS!!

AND THE PEOPLE HAS SPOKEN

2010-05-14T02:21:00.000-07:00

ELECTION selection

2010-05-07T05:43:00.000-07:00

Days of unease

(Philippine Daily Inquirer050810)

"COMELEC CHAIR JOSE MELO SAYS HE CAN SMILE again. “Elections will go through at all levels, in all precincts,” he happily declared Wednesday after a test run on a precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machine in one Makati precinct yielded a “perfect” result. The same machine was one among scores of machines that failed to read votes cast for local positions in an earlier test conducted Monday, forcing the Comelec to call off the nationwide testing of some 76,000 PCOS machines and recall all the flash cards where the instructions are encoded. The accurate reading of the test votes came after a reconfigured flash card was used. And a visibly relieved Melo gratefully said, “It seems that our prayers have been answered.”

Our country's history will be rewritten after monday, may 10, 2010. Let our voices be heard and our choice for good governance prevail.!!!

LET'S GO OUT AND VOTE!!!!

labor death

2010-04-29T01:34:00.000-07:00

DOLE: No wage increase in 2010
By Mayen Jaymalin (The Philippine Star) Updated December 31, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) yesterday dashed hopes of a possible increase in the take-home pay of minimum wage earners next year.

For the second straight year, Labor Secretary Marianito Roque said workers nationwide are unlikely to get any salary hike.

“I don’t think there will be any wage increase because there is no economic basis,” Roque said.

He noted that all indicators for salary increases, including oil prices, remained low at this time.

Citing a report from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Roque said the increase in food prices at this time is only temporary.

“The increased price in cooking gas and other basic commodities according to NEDA is only holiday-related and would go down soon after the holiday season is over,” Roque pointed out.

Oil companies have even rolled back prices, which Roque said was among the factors being considered by wage boards in granting salary hikes.

The different Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) may also not undertake the annual wage review unless a formal petition for wage hike is filed by labor groups next year.

“Since there is no supervening event to warrant review, the wage boards are unlikely to conduct a wage review,” Roque added.

He said the only thing that could prompt the boards to grant a salary increase next year is extraordinary increase in prices of basic commodities.

Roque said the labor sector should look at the productivity in the country before seeking a wage increase.

The different wage boards last granted salary increases with the highest hike of P20 in Metro Manila in 2008.

SURVEY TOPPERS

2010-04-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

Backed by barrage of ambiguous surveys conducted by various "survey groups", everyone pompously claims to be the number ONE and the most favored leader who promises a government led by a poor whose main agenda is the welfare of the poor.

For decades, political wannabees chant these pro-poor polychrome advocacies, duping and assuaging the poor into believing they can make heavens on earth. Poverty becomes the byword and the epicenter of the political campaign advertisements.

Poor poorer people. Often misled, exploited and merely used as campaign strategy for political ascendancy.

ESTORYAHEEEEE

2010-04-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

OIL PRICE INCREASE AGAIN!!

A SHELL official said they would need to adjust fuel costs and MUST raise the oil prices despite the decline of prices worldwide because they've only effecting increases in small increments and most importantly, to defray the COST OF THEIR RECOVERY.

Numbed and fed up with protracted poverty, the public no longer react to flashed news of oil price increases. Strikes and protests of different sorts are proven futile. Our government and our court of laws are undoubtedly inept in stopping the shenanigans of the CARTEL.

Sadly, the oil price increase has become a part of every filipino's life.

PRESS THE COMIC STRIP TO VIEW IT

i have a separate blog (www.monkeybusinesscartoons.blogspot.com ) for my monkey business cartoon published weekly in the edgeDAVAO (www.edgedavao.net) but i dont want to miss this chance not to post this special comic strip here.i know many gsis subscribers, especially the pensioners could relate to the old man's woes.

Every end of the month, I observed long lines of retired government employees queuing in the gsis kiosks and ATM machines booths clutching their E-CARDS as if life depend on it.(which truly is). I sometimes became a part of the group when my nanay sent me to withdraw her pension.It broke my heart to hear those sighs of dismay every time a pensioner left the ATM booth, unable to withdraw any amount and muttering "delayed na pud ang pension, unsaon na lang ang akong tambal". blaaast!!!!

One time I was reading a newspaper inside greenich victoria when I came accross a letter published in the Phil Daily Inquirer about this agency's effort to effect transparency in all its procedures.

Mother of all coincidences!!!!I The old man on the other table also reading PDI echoed the very word I said after I leafed through the pages of my paper.

"EEEESSSTORYAHEEEEE!!!!!"

I was very certain he read the same letter.

(www.davaoillustrator.multiply.com)

secret of secrecy folder deal

2010-04-09T02:07:00.000-07:00

Election related anomalies are endless. Every election, these crooks become more creative in finding ways how to dip their hands in the COMELECs coffer. They have become more daring to do absurd things in favor of some influential politicos in exchange of favors. To cite a few, the unresolved hello garci mess, the questionable zero votes of former presidentiables in Central Mindanao, the computerization scam, down to washable indelible ink.

AND now, the secrecy folder.

penitensya

2010-03-31T05:50:00.000-07:00

edgeDAVAO holy week cover design

2010-03-26T20:32:00.000-07:00

CAMPAIGN ads

2010-03-26T20:27:00.000-07:00

water water everywhere

2010-03-19T23:10:00.000-07:00

LOOOOOOONG list of party list

2010-03-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

onli in da pilipins!!!

what's in a name? Both Dubious and legit party-lists are competing to wrestle the number one spot in the ballots. These strategists surely know that Filipino Voters are busy and impatient voters. To have a party list name that starts with letter N would be sure bad news. Unfortunately, 69 percent if Filipino Voters are unaware of its significance.( Pulse Asia survey in February)

a...a...a...a

(www.davaoillustrator.multiply.com)

race to WHERE?

2010-03-11T09:20:00.000-08:00

i was born in an era when our country ranked as one of the top five nations in Asia. Decades passed, the situation had turned 180 degrees.

(abs-cbnnews.com)

The Philippines scored 8.06 in the 2010 survey, indicating that--against its neighbors in the region--it swung from worst to bad. In 2009, its score of 7.0 landed it on the 6th most corrupt spot. In 2008, it was ranked the most corrupt.

The survey was conducted by the Hong Kong-based Political & Economic Risk Consultancy, which provides strategic business information and analysis for companies doing business in East and Southeast Asia.

(asian Offbeat)

1. Philippine (菲律宾) 9.40

Expatriate businessmen in Asia perceive the Philippines as the most corrupt country in the region. Nearly $2 billion dollars, or roughly 13 percent of the Philippines' annual budget, is lost to corruption in the country each year, according to the United Nations Development Program.

Its judicial system is believed to be ineffective at prosecuting and punishing individuals for corruption when abuses are uncovered. Local corruption monitors confirm that graft and bribery in the Philippines remain rampant. Corruption has penetrated every level of government, from the Bureau of Customs down to the traffic police officers who pull over motorists to demand bribes.

NEED I SAY OR DRAW MORE??

(www.davaoillustrator.multiply.com)

POWER CRISIS? truth or consequence

2010-03-04T15:34:00.000-08:00

Mindanao suffers brownout. Many people are leaving Mindanao due to brownout and poverty, lack of food...etc,etc.

Really.

I spent almost all my life here in Mindanao. I am very certain i do not wish to live in another place except in Mindanao, especially in Davao City.

Eeerie but the power shortage in Mindanao is not what it seem to be. Let me just put it this way, the power shortage is like a switch. Somebody has the call...or lets say, has the luxury of switching it ON and OFF.

Hungry people are leaving Mindanao? Nah... I don't think so. Mindanao is typhoon free all year long. It is unlikely that people can't find food here. "Daghan lagutmon sa Mindanao.Karlang, Kamote, Sab-a, gabi, ubod, balanghoy, landang. "

That's the way is see....eerrr...draw it.

(www.davaoillustrator.multiply.com)

WORSE THAN EL NINO

2010-02-25T09:39:00.000-08:00

ELECTION RAIN DANCE

I recently visited our farm planted with mango trees in Matanao, Davao del Sur. Our place suffer the wrath of the el nino as evidenced by large cracks on the soil scrawny goats chewing brown dried leaves, long time neighbors and friend gathered and lackadaisically lounging in a sari-sari store exchanging juicy and political gossips.

Some of them jokingly said to perform the rain dance (just ilke what sarah geronimo did in a movie) to summon for rains. Others vowed to pledge some amount to offer to our "kapilya para pamisa sa Medalla Milagrosa".

We relished that one lazy afternoon with full of laughters when suddenly, a screeching brown SUV stopped in front of the store creating clouds dust that stung our eyes. Blast!!!

The passenger disembarked, and with its most artificial smile, beamed and greeted us "maayong udto, mare" and distributed pamphlets.

He left leaving parting words "ayaw kalimot, karun eleksyon" before slamming the SUV's door in haste.

We asked for rain and rain really came. Nag-ulan gyud ug pamphlets.

The only consolation was, the pamphlet paper was perfect "panglukot sa tabako o tresbi".

ELECTION TIME AGAIN.

(www.davaoillustrator.multiply.com)

great power with greatest opportunities

2010-02-18T13:50:00.000-08:00

Snakes periodically shed off the outer part of their skin(scales). Most snakes shed their skin 4-8 times per year. It is a natural process (Ecdysis is the scientific term for shedding of the skin) and may depend upon many factors:environmental temperature, activity level and feeding.

But to see politicians shed their "scales" downgrading themselves flaunting a lifestyle wallowing in poverty is UNnatural. Blarring expensive tevee ads and large tarpaulin billboard are no proof of poverty most Filipino people suffer from.

SSShhhh...t.... No wonder snakes join the bandwagon of animals (pigs, crocodiles, monkeys, rat,worm etc..) protesting against the "super gas-gas na" analogy, likening them to those corrupt policitians."animal ka...mananap ka... hayop ka... baboy ka... and so many animal related diatribes and expletives to describe a crook.

It's never FAIR, INDEED!

(www.davaoillustrator.multiply.com)

beating the deadline

2010-02-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

atc submission of application forms extended until feb 23

2010-02-06T22:13:00.001-08:00

THERE'S NO ROOM FOR MISTAKES

IN OUR CROWDED SKIES

this time i am putting my cartoon in the backseat to give way to this ANNOUNCEMENT.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) will be conducting a competitive examination to select Trainees for the 3^rd COMPREHENSIVE AIR TRAFFIC SERVICE COURSE to be held at the Manila Civil Service Course to be held at the Manila Civil Aviation Training Center (CATC) Merville Road, Pasay City. Graduate of this course shall qualify for the position of Air Traffic Management Officer (ATC/COMMS).

Qualified and selected applicants (passing competitive examination, interview and medical/physical examination) shall be trained by CAAP at no cost; however, there will be no allowance or other form of compensation during the training period.

Date of Examination -will advise

Places of Examination - Manila, Baguio, Laoag, San Jose Iloilo, Legaspi, Kalibo, Tagbilaran, Dumaguete, Mactan, Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro, Davao, Dipolog and General Santos

Qualifications of Applicants

1. Age -not more than 26 years old on the day of the examination

2. Physical condition - must be of good health

3. Minimum Educational - holder of a any Baccalaureate

requirement degree, eferably EE, ECE or

computer Eng’gand must

be computer literate

4. Other requirement - preferably with Civil Service Eligibility

Application forms may be secured from the Personnel Section 2^nd Floor CAAP MIA Road, Pasay City (for Manila applicants) or from the Airport Manager’s/Air Traffic Service Facility-In-Charge’s Office (for Provincial applicants).

Applicants must submit a copy of College Diploma/Transcript of Records, Civil Service Eligibility/R.A1080 Rating, Birth Certificate, Police Clearance, Barangay Clearance, NBI Clearance and Medical Clearance, filled-up application form and submit it to Personnel Section, CAAP Main Bldg., MIA Rd. Pasay City for (Manila applicants)

latest update: submission of requirements
is up to feb 23.

Republic of the Philippines

Department of Transportation and Communications

CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

MIA Road Pasay City, Metro Manila 1300

more interested investors eyeing davao region

2010-02-06T22:08:00.000-08:00

This is the cover layout i made for the edgeDAVAO for the third week of february 2010.I almost missed doing this cover design. I thought I've done my assignment and was able to submit the cover layout before 10 in the evening. Being off duty from work at 11, I had to take a nap to prepare for the next day's shift. It's a good thing that "girl", our extraordinary resident boarder at the control tower, REset my alarm at 4 in the morning. That's the only time i read sir tony's text message telling me to check my e-mail for another cover layout for the paper's next issue.

It's a good thing I don't crack under extreme pressure. When under pressure my adremalin peaks and I am always, as expected, able to submit my assignment on time. The cover story was so brrrrooooaaaaadddd that if I have to draw figures that represent each of the reported "sub-topics", my work will surely look like fruit salad drowned in a soggy cream.

a sure mess.

Halleluia for the cornucopia. It saved my day. I've finished my artwork in two hours.

cornucopia-

1. abundance: a great abundance of something


2.	arts goat's horn overflowing with produce:* a painting or other representation of a goat's horn overflowing with fruits, flowers, and vegetables, used to symbolize plenty or prosperity*

jammed the jammers?

2010-02-06T21:57:00.000-08:00

I was channel hopping in my mobile phone when I chanced to watch a news program where a high ranking NTC official was interviewed about the possible "jamming" of some (of course) jammers who are out to disrupt the 2010 polls. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said that it had received reports as early as three weeks ago that a shipment of 5,000 jamming devices had entered the country. Though still unconfirmed, the COMELEC and NTC said there was reason to believe that the devices could be used to delay the transmission of election results.

When asked if the National Telecommunications Commission, being the government regulatory agency providing an environment that ensures reliable, affordable and viable infrastructure and services in information and communications technology (ICT) can trace the whereabouts of the jammers with the use of their available usable equipment, the official stated matter of factly that the location of the perpetrators will never be ascertained.

I was not surprised by such honest reply.

The official was simply telling the pathetic truth.

We had our share of such predicament when "bogus pilots" and "bogus air traffic controllers" intruded our approach control frequency. I still remember that during those intrusions, we had to hold our arriving aircraft at higher altitudes until we were certain that the the "pilot" we were communicating with was indeed bogus. Imagine the delays and loses the airlines would incur if the problems stayed unsolved.

Our Chief, together with other Facility-in-Charge submitted consolidated incident reports to this office for the immediate solution of such problem. Unfortunately, the said agency then was "not equipped" to solve the problem. So the ATCs innovated some measures to correct and solve the "bogus atc/pilot intrusions". Our solution was crude but very effective.

As of this posting, we haven't encountered frequency intrusions.

Yet.

davao as investors and tourists' haven

2010-01-29T21:21:00.000-08:00

This cover layout for the EDGEDAVAO, a weekly business newspaper in Davao City, was done with adobe illustrator since the pdf result of my corel layout displayed a rather drab color certainly unsuitable for printing. The drop shadow in the words tourist and investors was the aftermath of my"trial and error" with this software. The choice for yellow as the dominant color of this subject?

Honestly, it has no political hue.

I simply love yellow.

road RAGE

2010-01-29T12:23:00.000-08:00

Fully one-half of drivers who are subjected to aggressive driving behavior on the road respond with aggression of their own, thus risking a more serious confrontation.

According to a recently released national survey, when a driver gets the finger, is cut off or tailgated, 50 percent of the victims respond with horn honking, yelling, cutting-off, and obscene gestures of their own.

The survey, administered by Response Insurance, revealed that 34 percent of drivers say they honk their horn at the aggressor, 27 percent yell, 19 percent give the finger back, 17 percent flash their headlights, and 7 percent mimic the initial aggressive driving behavior. Two percent of drivers admit to trying to run the aggressor off the road.

"Road rage is a two-way street," noted Ray Palermo, of Response Insurance. "It takes two people to fight. So, if you are subjected to aggressive driving, often the best way to ensure it does not get any worse is to just ignore it."

When it comes to aggressive responses, men are more likely than women to do so (54% vs. 46%), as are drivers age 18-24 (67%) versus drivers 65 and older (30%). Drivers with children are more likely to respond aggressively (59%) versus those without children (45%), and cell phone users (59%) versus those who do not use a cell phone while driving (39%).
(LIFTED FROM ROAD AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE)

poster for ebi mf loan

2010-01-22T10:06:00.000-08:00

One of the posters I've just made for a bank whose commitment is to help the poorer sector of the society attain a better living condition. The poster itself clearly speaks of its advocacy. Need I say more?

earthquake belt

2010-01-21T18:47:00.000-08:00

The recent earthquake in Port-Au-Prince undeniably shook the world. Its aftershocks reached shores that left the people gaping and trembling with shock while watching the news, staring at dead bodies being pulled from debris and thrown to the mass graves. Unthinkable.

We atcs have our shares of "shakes, rattle and roll" during earthquakes specially when we are on duty.

Shakes are very evident with the sloshing of the mineral water and swinging of the lightguns (signal) hanging on the ceiling of the cab. What we usually do during these shakes? We just grab our seats and remain as calm as we should be. Can't leave the cab co'z we might get stuck inside the elevator. And with the winding stairs from the eleventh floor to the ground, the risk is way tooo high. We've been planning to stash an ax so we could just break the cab glass in case of emergency..

Rattle?hmmm... we feel this too... but really, just quite temporarily. We are in a place where we have no choice but....wait for what will ensue.

Roll.The last time the control tower was "shaken" our thursday boys were on duty. There were shakes... they were (i hope not) rattled.. and they rolled (actually, roared) with laughters when they looked down and saw that all the CAAP personnel were already outside the building looking up to them as if waiting for something to happen.

Earthquakes? Our boys just laughed it off...Never scared of tremors.

Pero white lady? I'll save the details on the next relevant entry.

political entertainment

2010-01-15T09:03:00.000-08:00

mindanao carnage

2010-01-08T08:45:00.000-08:00

I was musing on what to draw for this week's editorial cartoon when I saw the PDI headline showing a backhoe lifting a totally wrecked vehicle while excavating a mass grave in Maguindanao. I don't want to draw the gory details of the carnage. I've had enough of what I've seen on T.V and the newspapers. My sympathy to the children who lost their mothers and fathers.

panic learning

2010-01-07T10:19:00.000-08:00