NEW 7 Wonders Of Nature

‘New 7 Wonders of Nature’ Text and Online Voting to End on 11-11-11

With only 154 days left to vote for the "New 7 Wonders of Nature" poll, President Benigno Aquino III make an appeal to public to vote for the Puerto Princesa Underground River in Palawan.

Located in what is considered "the last frontier", the Puerto Princesa Underground River is the country's lone contender in the global poll now being contested by 27 other official finalists from an initial list of 400 locations worldwide.

"Some 80 million Filipinos have cellular phones and some two billion text messages are sent every day. We only need a billion votes – that is just half a day of texting for all Filipinos who have cellular phones," PNoy said.

To Vote by Telephone:

a.) Dial one of these international telephone numbers:
+23 92201055
+1 869 760 5990
+1 649 339 8080
+44 758 900 1290

b) At the end of the message, after the tone, insert the 4 digit code for your chosen nominee. The code for Puerto Princesa Underground River is 7723.

c) When you hear the thank you message, you are all done – you have voted by telephone!


To Vote Online, log-in to the New 7 Wonders of Nature website HERE

a) On the 6th row of the 3rd column, click the box that pertains to Puerto Princesa Underground River.

b) Then you need to create an account by filling up the form.

c) Click "Send Your Vote"

Giant lizard discovered in the Philippines

The Northern Sierra Madre Forest Monitor Lizard or Varanus bitatawa feasts on fruits and snails rather than carcasses, unlike many monitors, including its larger relative, the Komodo dragon, according to American and Filipino researchers who wrote about the discovery in Wednesday's peer-reviewed Royal Society journal Biology Letters. It spends much of its time in the treetops and has unique claws that allow it to reach its favorite fruits.

"I knew as soon as I saw the animal that it was something special," Luke Welton, a graduate student at the University of Kansas and one of the co-authors of the study, said in a statement.

It is not that unusual to find a new species of tiny fish, frog or insect these days. But Welton and his colleagues said it was a "rare occurrence" to discover such a large vertebrate, particularly on an island hit by deforestation and nearby development. They compared their find to the 1993 discovery of the forest-dwelling Saola ox in Vietnam and a new monkey species discovered in the highlands of Tanzania in 2006.

"The discovery of such a large, charismatic, and strikingly distinct new species of vertebrate in the unexplored forests of the northern Philippines accentuates the degree to which the diversity of this global conservation hotspot is still poorly known," Mundita Lim, chief of the country's Department of Environment and Natural Resources Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, said in a statement.

Eric R. Pianka, a lizard expert at the University of Texas at Austin, said in an e-mail interview that it was an "incredible find."

"This is truly a spectacular discovery," Pianka said. "Worldwide, there are about 60-plus species of monitor lizards. In all probability, some as yet undescribed species will be found on various islands in Indonesia," he said.

The new lizard is related to two other fruit-eating monitors in the Philippines, all of which have seen their numbers drop significantly due habitat destruction, as well as hunting and trapping for the pet trade.

"We hope that by focusing on protection of this new monitor, conservation biologists and policy makers can work together to protect the remaining highly imperiled forests of northern Luzon," Rafe Brown, leader of the team that discovered the new species and curator of herpetology at the University of Kansas, said in a statement.

Things to do at SM Supermalls

1. Get 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in people's carts when they aren't looking.

2. Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. Make a trail of tomato juice on the floor leading to the rest rooms.

4. Walk up to an employee and tell him/her in an official tone,
" 'Code 3' in housewares".... and see what happens.

5. Go the Service Desk and ask to put a bag of M&M's on lay away.

6. Move a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

7. Set up a tent in the camping department and tell other shoppers you'll invite them in if they'll bring pillows from the bedding department.

8. When a clerk asks if they can help you, begin to cry and ask, "Why can't you people just leave me alone?"

9. Look right into the security camera; & use it as a mirror, and pick your nose.

10. While handling guns in the hunting department, ask the clerk if he knows where the anti - depressants are.

11. Dart around the store suspiciously loudly humming the "Mission Impossible" theme.

12. In the auto department, practice your "Madonna look" using different size funnels.

13. Hide in a clothing rack and when people browse through, say "PICK ME!" "PICK ME!"

14. When an announcement comes over the loud speaker, assume the fetal position and scream..
"NO! NO! It's those voices again!!!!"

15. Go into a fitting room and shut the door and wait a while; and then yell, very loudly, "There is no toilet paper in here!

16. Get several bouncy balls and throw them down an aisle shouting "go, pikachu, go!"

The General (?)

Just browsing my mailbox then have seen this picture taken during the the time when we have problem with the typhoons that struck the country.

I know the picture is disgusting... lol

Maguindanao Massacre

By George M. De La Cruz


MANILA -- The death toll in Maguindanao massacre is now 52 but the people, especially the media organizations, continued their crusade fighting for justice against the brutal slaying of journalists.

The Alliance of Media Advocates, an emerging association of media persons advocating for reproductive health and human development all over the country, strongly condemned in the strongest possible terms Wednesday the brutal murder of hardworking media persons in Maguindanao.

This in sympathy with the Sultan Kudarat Media Group led by its president Benjie Caballero, a relative of Buluan town Vice Mayor Ismael "Toto" Mangudadatu whose wife Genalyn "Gigi" Mangudadatu was massacred together with 51 others, including several journalists.

Caballerio is among the 87-delegate journalist in the two-day National Population Congress that capped Wednesday in Manila Hotel.

He is supposed to be in Maguindanao together with Venjie Rex Firmalino, program supervisor of dxKI, Femma Joy Dalumpines, news writer and announcer of dxGM to cover for the filing of certificate of candidacy of Mangudadatu whose wife Gigi filed for the latter's better half.

Mangudadatu is running for governor and an ally of President Arroyo. He was former town mayor, said Dalumpines, the sister of Manday Kim (Ismael), Gigi's brother-in-law.

On the other hand, Caballero writes for Midland Review and Notredame Broadsheet in Kidapawan City.

He said the vice mayor and family had been so kind with the people and well-loved by his constituents.

Tama believes the massacre of a dozen or so journalists, the worst so far in Philippine history, was an attack against freedom of expression and human rights in a democratic society.

The group called on well-meaning citizens and fellow journalists in the country to join hands in condemning the senseless, heinous and barbaric act.

Further, it strongly demanded the National Government to bring the perpetrators before the bar of justice, without fear of retreat or favor for the preservation of peace, freedom, and democracy.

Meanwhile, a resolution was passed also condemning the massacre in Maguindanao and the killing of journalists.

Resolution author Board member Patrick Lacson who chairs committee on human rights said: "My resolution will serve as a constant reminder to us Negrenses, that we remain peaceful, democratic and God fearing. May the Negrenses continue to be vigilant in defending the rights of citizens, and fight for freedom always."

Lacson scored that there is no apparent concrete government action more than 24 hours after the massacre occurred.

The massacre is unprecedented since it was the earliest election-related violence and the worst loss of lives in one day in the history of journalism, he said.

"Never in the history of journalism has the news media suffered such heavy loss of lives in one day," he stressed.

Meanwhile the province has provided transportation assistance to four of the Negrense victims' relatives who will travel to Maguindanao province Thursday.



Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on November 26, 2009.

US hails Aquino as Philippines democracy icon

Sat Aug 1, 12:02 pm ET


WASHINGTON (AFP) – President Barack Obama on Friday expressed sadness at the death of former Philippine president Corazon Aquino, describing her as a historic figure who helped restore democracy to her country.

Obama "was deeply saddened" by news of Aquino's death, read a statement late Friday from White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

Aquino "played a crucial role in Philippines history", moving the country to democratic rule through her non-violent "People Power" movement over 20 years ago.

"Her courage, determination, and moral leadership are an inspiration to us all and exemplify the best in the Filipino nation. On behalf of the American people, the President extends his deepest condolences to the Aquino family and the nation of the Philippines," the statement read.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hailed Aquino as an inspiration.

"I extend my deepest condolences to the Aquino family and all the people of the Philippines on the death of former president Corazon Aquino," Clinton said in a statement.

"Cory Aquino was beloved by her nation and admired by the world for her extraordinary courage after the assassination of her husband, and later, during her service as president.

"She helped bring democracy back to the Philippines after many years of authoritarian rule with a faith in her country and its people that never wavered."

Clinton, a onetime first lady who narrowly lost a bid last year to become her Democratic Party's nomination for president, said Aquino served as an inspiration to her and her husband, former president Bill Clinton.

The country's current president, Gloria Arroyo, was in the United States on an official trip at the time of Aquino's death.

Manila is a longstanding Washington ally in Southeast Asia, and Arroyo was the region's first leader to visit the White House since Obama's January inauguration.