2012 University Student Council (USC) Election Candidates announced

The Office of Student Affairs declared on Monday the official list of candidates of the 2012 USC (University Student Council) elections in UP Diliman.

The list present candidates from three political parties, the Student Alliance for the Advancement of Democratic Rights in UP (STAND UP), the Alyansa ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Panlipunang Katwiran (ALYANSA), and the Nagkakaisang Iskolar para sa Pamantasan at Sambayanan (KAISA). There were also candidates running as independent, including the incumbent STAND UP councilor Jose Martin Loon (Sigma Rho fraternity).

Meanwhile, the University Student Electoral Board rejected the candidacies of Hanna Keila “Kei” Garcia and Jeff David “Jeff” Agudelo of STAND UP as councilors, and Jimson “Jimson” Sulit of ALYANSA as College of Engineering representative.

CHAIRPERSON

(ALYANSA) Diño, Gabriel “Heart”
(Independent) Loon, Jose Martin
(KAISA) Santiago, Maria Shaina
(STAND UP) Melad, Amancio III “Aman”

VICE-CHAIRPERSON
(ALYANSA) Ligsay, Ace “Ace”
(KAISA) Castro, Ana Alexandria
(STAND UP) Escandor, Soraya Elisse “Aya”

COUNCILORS

ALYANSA
Ayala, Eduard Francis “Lucho”
Bautista, Patricia Isabel “Trisha”
Bringas, Patrick “Pat”
Espinosa, Maria Anna “Maan”
Eva VIII, Jose Emmanuel Micael “Mickey”
Ferrer, Gene Angelo “Gene”
Santos, Alexandra Maria Francia “Alex”
Tan, Bea Helene “Bea”
Tolentino, Percival Jerome “PJ”
Vicencio, Solomon “Sol”

KAISA
Quinito, Allyssa Joy
Reyes, Carl Anthony
Zipagan, Carla Janine
Clement, Carlos Enrico
Siy, Cheryl
Yutan, Fercival
Villareal, Jermaine
Guiang, Julliano Fernando
Punzalan, Ma. Regina
Bellosillo, Mary Grace
Mendoza, Sarah Louise
Tiu, Simon Stephenson

STAND UP
Abarro, Ghizelle Jane “Ghizelle”
Buergo, Therese Anjelica “Therese”
Canacan, Aryanna “Yanna”
Fungo, John Emmanuel “Fungo”
Guiang, Francisco Jayme Paolo “Jio”
Roque, Rafael Natal “Raf”
Salvador, Gillian “Gillian”
Salazar, Narcisse Dominique “Nikki”
Solis, Jose Miguel “Mijo”

COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVES

ALYANSA
Cruz, Jonas Miguelito “Jonas” (CBA)
Macabuhay, Nico “Nico” (FA)
Reyes, Ma. Christina “Tina” (Law)
Poblador, Patricia Erika “Pats” (Cmusic)
Hitosis, Maria Erica “Erica” (CS)
Crescini, Joeric Emil “Joeric” (CSSP)
Magsambol, Darrell John “Darrell” (Econ)
Omega, Christopher “Chris” (Educ)
Villejo, Stephen Jun “Poks” (Stat)
Ang, Sara Gracheooe “Grace” (CSWCD)

INDEPENDENT
Sulit, Leor Jyle (CMC)
Alicer, Nicole Ma. Nimfa (NCPAG)

KAISA
Erro, Erika Mary (AIT)
Gonzalez, Carla Monica (CHE)
Grey, Gayle Krystle (CHK)
Bondad, Serene Ezra (CS)
Obcena, Ma. Beatriz (CSWCD)
Palino, Justin Alfred (Eng’g)
Vicenta, John Karl (Eng’g)
Go, Sara Zemirah (FA)
Santos, Ihna Alyssa Marie (NCPAG)
Ibañez, Allan Michael (Stat)

STAND UP
Paredes, Peter Dominique “Peter” (Archi)
Gabral, Eduardo “Eds” (CAL)
Lucero, John Nelvin “Vino” (BA)
Isidro, Celine Alexis “Celine” (Educ)
Gloria, Enrico “Miko” (Econ)
Cajilih, Alieto Jr. “JR” (Eng’g)
Gonzales, Rejiel “Rage” (Eng’g)
Garvida, Patricia Monica “Pat” (FA)
Pagatpatan, Leonard “Leonard” (CHE)
Cruz, Roscelle “Roscelle” (SLIS)
Torres, Sarah Isabelle “Sarah” (CMC)
Del Castillo, Felipe “Felipe” (CS)
Sicat, Patrick John “Sicat” (CSSP)
Tagala, Mark Joseph “Marky” (CSWCD)

Source: Tinig ng Plaridel

Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) officially New7Wonders of Nature

The Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) is now officially included in the famous list of the New7Wonders of Nature, the founder of  the New7Wonders worldwide campaign declared Saturday.

The 8.2-km long Palawan river, together with the Amazon rainforest, Vietnam’s Halong Bay and Argentina’s Iguazu Falls, is now one of the world’s new seven wonders of nature.

“When your very own President Aquino came out in support of the PPUR campaign, I knew that this country was taking the New7Wonders of Nature seriously,” said Weber. “Fans of PPUR all over the world responded to his call for action by voting in record numbers and today’s confirmation is the well-earned reward for this extraordinary display of enthusiasm.”

The New7Wonders, founded in 2001 by filmmaker Bernard Weber in Zuric, is based on the same principle on which the seven ancient wonders of the world were determined. That list of seven wonders was attributed to Byzantium's Phylon in ancient Greece.

Congressman Iggy Arroyo 'clinically dead'

Congresman Ignacio "Iggy" Arroyo Jr., representative of the 5th district of Negros Occidental, is clinically dead, his older brother, former First Gentleman Jose Miguel "Mike" Arroyo said.

The former First Gentlemen said his source at his brother's bedside initially told him that Iggy had passed away after suffering cardiac arrest last night, He later clarified that his brother is brain dead but has not been pronounced dead by doctors.

He said Iggy is still on life support, which could be taken out anytime, and that he will issue a statement at the proper time.

Arroyo earlier revealed Iggy had a cardiac arrest last night. "At that point, an ambulance was called for him in London. He was revived at the hospital but he went into a coma. This morning, his heart stopped beating."

With reports from ABSCBN News

DA, PNOC-EDC tie up to support Leyte vegetable farming project

The province of Leyte is set to contest Cordillera's position as the country's premier salad bowl. An area as vast as 20,000 ha in the Tongonan mountain range will be allotted to the farm-and-harvest activity of high-value semi-temperate vegetables.

According to Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala , the Department of Agriculture (DA) has signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) last December 12, 2011 with the PNOC-Energy Development Corp. (PNOC-EDC), among other institutions and groups of Leyte farmers to press Cordillera in its crown as top salad greens producer.

Under the MOA, the DA and the PNOC-EDC will invest P92 million in the next five years to develop fit farming grounds enclosing the Leyte Geothermal Production Field (LGPF). The investment is said to benefit 5,600 farmers composing 23 farmers’ groups in Kananga town and Ormoc City.

The production area is 500 to 800 meters above sea level. It extends from Ormoc City to Kananga town. It will be managed by a five-year initiative referred to as the Agri-Pinoy integrated and diversified program for the development of the ‘OK’ (Ormoc City and Kananga) upland range.

With supporting reports from Manila Bulletin

Local airlines banned from increasing flight operations in South Korea

According to the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), Philippine carriers have been banned from expanding its flight to South Korea.

Seoul reportedly followed suit from the US Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) decision to stop any expansion of flights in the US due to PH's unimproved safety regulations.

Last month, the South Korean government junked AirPhil Express's application to launch flights to Incheon, gateway to the capital Seoul, citing the Philippines’ “Category 2 status with the FAA” as the basis for the decision.

Under South Korean aviation rules, airlines rated category 2 by the FAA are banned from expanding flights to and from the country. The ban also includes countries blacklisted by the European Union (EU) and those  labelled possessing “serious safety concerns” by the International Civil Aviation Organizations (ICAO).

Incidentally, the Philippines is also blacklisted by the EU and the ICAO. Existing flights however will not be affected, even after the FAA ban. A meeting between CAB and its counterparts in South Korea has been scheduled in the first week of February for another set of negotiation.

With supporting reports from Inquirer.net