Rice and corn accounted for more than half the damage, while fish and high-value commercial crops made up a “negligible” amount, Mr. Fondevilla said.

The P8 billion covered 14 provinces, which Mr. Fondevilla did not enumerate. But he said the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions in northern Luzon accounted for bulk of the reported damage.

The Agriculture department has estimated that farm production losses could range from P8.09 billion under a “mild” El Niño case to as much as P20.46 billion under a severe “severe” one, with the tally likely more than P10 billion but still less than P20 billion.

Mr. Fondevilla said more than 200,000 metric tons (MT) of rice has already been destroyed, but clarified that any decision to import more of this grain on top of the 2.48 million MT already bought for this year will depend on whether the 7.2-million MT production target for the first half will be met and the final damage tally. (PIA-Bohol)

DoH chief epidemiologist Dr. Eric Tayag said that heatstroke cases are not usually recorded by the health department and statistics are confined only in hospitals.

But Dr. Tayag stressed that it is a heat-related illness that the public should be concerned about. He also warned senior citizens to be wary about the temperature because they are more prone to heatstroke.

The country’s chief epidemiologist said that as much as possible, public should avoid the sun between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when it is hottest. He also emphasized the importance of drinking a lot of fluids and to constantly cool one’s self using fans to lower the heat.

Medical expert Dr. Gary Sy enumerated the symptoms of heatstroke that includes the following: Headache, dizziness, disorientation, agitation or confusion, seizure, a hot dry skin that is flushed out but not sweaty and fatigue among others.

Dr. Sy said heatstroke is ‘life-threatening’ that is why it is important to stay indoors when the weather is really hot. (PIA-Bohol)

The Filipino boxer and his team however have been forewarned, reports indicate.

Clottey has been in trouble in his fights with low blows, head-butting, holding and lacing and for Pacquiao who had difficulty handling rule-breakers in the past, Clottey may be a major concern papers reported recently.

Clottey has been noted to use his head to bang his way to a win

Liasted under Clottey’s dirty fights are Argentina’s Carlos Baldomer in 1999, Steve Martinez in 2005 and Shamone Alvarez in 2007.

Miguel Cotto earned a cut that took 200 stitches to close from Clottey in 2009, courtesy of a headbutt, says Ring Magazine.

It also added, “The most dangerous weapon in Clottey’s arsenal and what Pacquiao will have to be Mosat aware of, is undoubtedly Clottey’s haed,” wrote Don Stradley of Ring Magazine.

The Philippines Mission to the UN in New York reported to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) that the country was elected to chair the Special Committee on the Charter of tohe United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization.

The Special Committee for the 2010 Session is headed by Ambassador Carlos Sorreta, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Philippine Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.

Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN and former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. said the Philippine’ chairmanship to the 2010 Session of the Special committee is significant as it is one of the lasting legacies of the former UN Secretary General.

“The Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations is a lasting legacy that the Philippines and General Romulo has given to the United Nation,” Davide said.

A state of calamity was this week declared for the Banaue area that is home to many of the ancient stone-walled paddies and one of the Southeast Asian nation’s most popular tourist destinations, the officials said.

The rice terraces, a United Nations World Heritage site and known locally as the “Eighth Wonder of the World”, were built between 2,000 and 6,000 years ago using huge rocks for each step and a complex trickle-down irrigation system.

Banaue tourist information bureau officer Juliet Mateo said the rice paddies most frequented by tourists at Batad and Bangaan had dried up completely as much of the country suffered from an El Nino-induced drought.

Mateo said the rice harvest, which takes six months in the mountains compared with three months on the flats, was in danger of being ruined completely by the drought.

Since a state of calamity has been declared for Banaue on Monday, officials hope that this would allow the local authorities to look into emergency funds to aid farmers.

Lack of rain added to the continuous drying of the land. This was the worst dry spell since 1998, wherein El Nino also hovered the land. (PIA-Bohol)

Thus, “Filipinos are advised to postpone all non-essential travel to Thailand, specifically Bangkok,” the DFA said in its advisory.

“Filipinos who are already in Thailand are advised to avoid areas that have been identified as meeting areas and staging areas for the rallyists,” it added.

Thousands of travelers, including Filipinos, were stranded in late 2008 when Bangkok’s international airport Suvarnabhumi was shut down by protesters trying to topple the government. All flights were cancelled stranding thousands of passengers in the airport for a couple of weeks. (PIA-Bohol)

Applicants may set an appointment by going online through its dedicated website (http://www.passport.com.ph/) or by calling 737-1000. Travel agents can secure an appointment at the DFA website (http://dfa.gov.ph/main/) or email at scheduler@dfa-appointment.net. They may also call 834-4961, 834-4855, and 834-3707 for other details.

The new 7,000-square meter, four-story Office of the Consular Affairs (OCA) building is located at the corner of Macapagal Avenue and Bradco Street, Aseana Business Park.

OCA Assistant Secretary Renato Villapando said that the appointment system will be strictly implemented to enable DFA to pre-process information submitted in advance by an applicant, thus avoiding long queues, as experienced by walk-in applicants at the DFA-OCA main office in Roxas Boulevard. (PIA-Bohol)

As per Comelec Resolution No. 8786, each BEI member will receive an additional P1,300, which includes P500 for the inspection, verification and sealing of the book of voters; P500 for the testing and sealing of machines; and P300 for one-time transportation allowance.

Teachers who serve as BEI are entitled to receive P1,000 honorarium for three days of poll duty: the day before the elections, election day, and the day after.

The BEI is composed of a chairman, a vice-chairman, and a poll clerk, all public school teachers. The Comelec will deploy 240,000 teachers to man 74,000 clustered polling precints nationwide.

Each of the school heads, principals, and supervisors who are not part of the BEI but will help supervise the conduct of elections at the precincts will also get P3,000 honorarium, while janitors and messengers who will be assigned in schools serving as polling precincts will receive P1,500. The board of canvassers in the municipal, city, and provincial levels will get P5,000.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapuz and Comelec chair Jose Melo signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to ensure the fair compensation of public school teachers as they perform their electoral duties on May 10.

After sealing an agreement, DepEd undersecretary Franklin Sunga and Comelec Commissioner Gregorio Larrazabal settled on a teacher compensation package, which included the P1,300 additional pay for BEI members. (PIA-Bohol)

Giila ang biktima nga si Christopher Rasonabe, 22-anyos, ulitawo, nagpuyo sa Sitio Cavancan, barangay Cabawan sa samang lungsod.

Sigun sa taho sa kapulisan nga ng biktima napalgan mga alas 6 sa buntag didto sa atabay ni Benjamin Tinai, 37-anyos, minyo kinsa nagpuyo duol sa dapit.

Giadtuan kini sa mga sakop sa Maribojoc Police Station kuyog ni municipal health officer, Dr. Perpetuo Belderol aron kuhaon ang patay’ng lawas niini apan nakit-an na lamang nga ang liog sa biktima gilikosan pa sa usa ka bitin.

Si PO3 Edilberto Calipes sa Maribojoc PNP nibutyag nga sigun sa uyoan sa biktima nga si Victorino Rasonabe diin kini nagpuyo nga si Christopher gikatahong nawala niadtong Dominggo sa gabii human kini nidagan dihang dunay gikaaway samtang nag-inom sa usa ka balay nga gipanag-iyahan sa usa ka Leuterio.

“Malagmit nga nahagbong ang biktima gumikan kay dili kini suhito sa maong lugar.” asoy pa ni Calipes.

Nibutyag si Calipes nga ang atabay adunay gilawmon nga upat ka tiil kapin kun kulang.

Matud ni Calipes nga basi sa gihimong otopsiya ni Belderol nga namatay ang natumbok nga biktima gumikan sa mga pinaakan sa bitin ug nalumos sa nahisgutang atabay nga wala na gamita ug walay nakit-an tinunto nga nagpaluyo sa kamatayon niini. (Andy Nalzaro)

Giila ang biktima nga si Elpidia Revilla, 51-anyos, minyo, usa ka negosyante, tag-iya sa Tano Store ug nagpuyo sa samang dapit.

Nahitabo ang insidente mga alas 2 sa hapon samtang duha ka motorsiklo nga dunay upat ka tawo nga sakay, usa niini usa ka Kawasaki Barako ug ang usa ka skeletal nga binabaye nga klase ug pulos walay plaka nihunong tungod sa maong tindahan. Tulo sa mga suspetsado ninaug nisulod sa tindahan ug nagpasumangil nga mopalit og upat ka ream nga sigarilyong Marlboro dihang ang duha niini nibunlot og duha ka mugbong pusil ug gitionan ang kahero nga si Edwin Revilla, 30-anyos,minyo ug anak sa tag-iya dayong deklara og hold-ap.

Matud sa taho, nga usa sa mga suspek nilukso duol sa drawer ug gipangkuha ang tanang salapi nga mokabat ngadto sa P20,000.

Nisibat ang mga suspetsado luwan sa duha ka motorsiklo paingon sa direksiyon sa lungsod sa Inabanga.

Gisuwayan og gukod sa mga sakop sa Clarin Police Station ang mga gikatahapan apan pakyas kini sa pagdakop niini.

Gihulagway ang mga suspek nga nagpangedaron og 30-anyos, pulos naka-jacket ug usa niini adunay marka nga Du Ek Sam ug pulos nagkalo. (Andy Nalzaro)