Magnitude 6.8 earthquake hits Visayas region

Just this morning, a magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit Negros Occidental off the coast of Jimalalud.  The epicenter is reported to along the Tanon Strait.  Below is a report from the USGS:

Magnitude 6.8 – NEGROS – CEBU REGION, PHILIPPINES

2012 February 06 03:49:16 UTC

Earthquake Details

  • This event has been reviewed by a seismologist.
Magnitude 6.8
Date-Time
  • Monday, February 06, 2012 at 03:49:16 UTC
  • Monday, February 06, 2012 at 11:49:16 AM at epicenter
Location 9.964°N, 123.246°E
Depth 46.6 km (29.0 miles)
Region NEGROS – CEBU REGION, PHILIPPINES
Distances 72 km (44 miles) N of Dumaguete, Negros, Philippines
74 km (45 miles) WNW of Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines
80 km (49 miles) WSW of Cebu, Cebu, Philippines
569 km (353 miles) SSE of MANILA, Philippines
Location Uncertainty horizontal +/- 13.5 km (8.4 miles); depth +/- 11.5 km (7.1 miles)
Parameters NST= 72, Nph= 75, Dmin=744.7 km, Rmss=1.03 sec, Gp= 47°,
M-type=regional moment magnitude (Mw), Version=8
The earthquake was also felt here in Bohol and there have been reports of the quake reaching Cagayan and Bukidnon.
As of presstime, there are yet no reported damages in Negros.

PhilRES-AIPO to undertake orientation seminar for its prospective members

The Philippine Institute of Real Estate Service Practitioners, Inc. (PhilRES) a duly accredited Professional organization of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) for the real estate service practice will conduct a formal orientation seminar for its prospective members on January 21, 2012, Saturday at the St. Joseph Hall of the Sacred Heart Center from 8am-12nn.  PhilRES Founding Officers Vice Chairman Rico Sevilla and National Vice President for membership Amelita Sarmiento will be in attendance. Registration fee is P200.00. All PRC licensed real estate service practitioners are urged to attend the said orientation seminar to keep abreast with current information regarding the real estate service industry. For more details please call PhilRES Cebu Secretariat Richel B. Jumawan at Tel. Nos. 254-5780; 412-5676 or cell nos. 0919-6500753 or 0922-7880851.

 

Palace elated over survey ranking the Philippines as 8th friendliest country

Malacanang expressed elation over the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey result, which ranked the Philippines as the eighth friendliest country in the world.

Earlier, the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom, published by The Wall Street Journal and The Heritage Foundation gave the Philippines a 57.1 score for economic freedom, making its economy the 107th freest in the 2012 Index. The score is 0.9 point higher than last year.

“We’re also happy to note that in one of the surveys conducted by HSBC, the Philippines ranked as one of the… the eighth friendliest country out of most of the countries rated in the world. And this is why we believe na talagang it really is more fun in the Philippines,” DeputyPresidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a radio interview over dzRB Radyo ng Bayan
on Saturday.

The administration will always promote what is good… what is good with the economy and people,” Valte said countering the criticisms being leveled against the Aquino administration.

According to HSBC’s Expat Explorer Survey released last year, the Philippines is the eighth friendliest country in the world for expatriates. HSBC surveyed 3,385 expats in 100 countries between May and July 2011.

The countries were ranked based on four categories: ability to befriend locals, success in learning the local language, capacity for integrating themselves into the community, and ease in which they fit into the new culture.

Forbes.com, citing the results of the HSBC survey, said the Philippines is a country “friendly on wallets,” with large number of expatriates saying they have an increased access to luxuries, including domestic staff, swimming pools and owning properties.

New Zealand topped the list of the world’s friendliest countries, posting excellent scores in all four categories. (PCOO)

DepEd sets early registration on January 28

The Department of Education (DepEd) sets January 28, 2012 as the early registration day for School Year (S.Y.) 2012-2013 in all public elementary and secondary schools nationwide.

“We have set aside this day for the early registration of out-of-school children, out-of-school –youth, children and youth with learning difficulties along with kinder, Grade 1 and incoming first year high school students,” said Education Secretary Bro. Armin A. Luistro.

Luistro said the Philippines is firmly committed to meet the goals of universal basic education and Education For All being advocated by the United Nations.

The early registration seeks to reach out to all five year-old children to enrol in kindergarten and for six year-olds to enlist for Grade 1.

It also aims to guarantee enrolment of OSC and OSY from the disadvantaged groups, indigenous peoples and street children ages 5 to 18 in their preferred delivery system. They can choose between formal schooling through alternative delivery mode (ADM) or informal mode via the alternative learning system (ALS).

The early registration also aims to keep track of OSC and OSY with disabilities whose ages range from 5 to 18 across grade levels and provide them with appropriate education intervention. “The state mandates that all Filipinos with or without learning disabilities must have access to education and the early registration aims to count them in,” the education
chief explained. (DepEd/PIA)

Bag-ong hepe sa PAF, gihinganlan na

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 10 (PIA)–Gitudlo karon ni Presidente Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III si M/Gen. Lauro Catalino dela Cruz isip bag-ong commanding general sa Philippine Air Force (PAF).

Kini human sa pagretiro ni Lt. Gen. Oscar Rabena, gihinganlan nga commander-in-chief si Dela Cruz isip mosunod nga hepe sa PAF.

Si Dela Cruz usa ka miyembro sa Philippine Military Academy Class of 1980.

Sa wala pa gitudlo sa pinakataas nga posisyon sa PAF, si Dela Cruz nangatungdanan isip
chief of air staff ug kanhi commander sa 205th Tactical Helicopter Wing.

Si Dela Cruz adunay diploma gikan sa Massey University sa New Zealand ug Master’s Degree in Management.

Ganinang buntag, gitambungan ni Presidente Aquino ang turn-over ug retirement ceremonies kang Rabena sa Villamor Air base, Pasay City. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)

Mga LGU’s nga apil sa DENR geohazard map, pulongon sa DILG

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Jan. 09 (PIA)–Planong pulongon sa Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) sa katapusang semana sa Enero o unang semana sa Pebrero ang mga opisyal sa lugar nga kuyaw sa landslide ug flashflood nga gitumbok sa Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) sa Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Sa usa ka radio interview, gipahayag ni DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo nga ipatawag nila ang mga lokal nga opisyal nga namuno sa mga natumbok nga lugar ug dungan nila kini pagapulongon.

Kalabot usab sa nahitabong landslide sa Pantukan, Compostela Valley, miingon si Robredo nga nadesisyona nang ipasirado ang mga tunnel nga kuyaw ug puwersahan na usab nilang ibakwit ang mga residenteng naa sa danger areas aron maguba na kini sa Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) ug Philippine National Police (PNP) ug dili na nila mahimong balikan pa.

Gawas sa tunnel sa Pantukan, susihon usab ang uban pang tunnel sa Compostela Valley nga kinahanglan nang ipasirado o selyuhan. (PIA-Bohol/ecb)