The Tagbilaran robbery was the latest in a series of break-ins and hold ups in this city. Executed in daring fashion, the latest caper netted P500,000 in loot topping the recent hold up of a gasoline station owned by George Lim where P20,000 was lost to the suspects. Both robberies were pulled off in broad daylight. According to Mayor Lim, he came to the conclusion that it was an inside job after he invited for interview the Unitop secretary identified as Rufa Balingit and the store manager Robert Chua. Also invited for questioning by Mayor Lim was Rene Raut-raut of Bilar said to be the live-in partner of Balingit. Full story

BOHOLANOS await for the coming of the Year of the Pig as wishes of prosperity raise hopes when the clock strikes twelve tonight. This coming year too, the Chinese calendar experts predict a perfect time to eat, drink and be merry, a scenario that would sustain the celebrations. Hope may have something to do with the forecast that says business would be bright as the year allows lavish spending, Chinese feng shui experts said. So in that exact moment when the Happy New Year greetings ripple across the country, Boholanos would most likely be in simultaneous religious gatherings timed to sing the Gloria at 12. Full story

Merrymaking and its consequential injuries while welcoming the new year may be determined by the response of the revelers themselves and the law enforcement authorities who have earlier received the order of the crackdown on the proliferation of dangerous and illegal firecrackers. With the dilemma, authorities have in fact pressed for the revelers to use the harmless tooting horns instead, which are sold in the sidewalks. Full story

Filipinos hopeful of 2007 - survey

PERHAPS with the bright prospects that the economy has shown during the last quarter, some 9 out of 10 Filipinos (or 90%) are stepping into the threshold of 2007 with hopes packed tight. This comes out in a Social Weather Stations (SWS) Survey run within the quarter. The survey also runs smack into another equally revealing truth that Filipinos are hopeful despite having experienced hunger at least once or a few times during the last three months. Moreover, 92 percent of Filipinos who did not go hungry in the last three months were hopeful entering the New Year, while 78 percent of those who suffered "severe hunger" or those experiencing hunger often or always admitted they were entering 2007 with hope. Full story