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Undaunted by Declining Job Prospects, Hundreds Troop to the Mall

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Story by Germelina A. Lacorte
Photos by Barry Ohaylan
davaotoday.com

DAVAO CITY — Lured by the promise of exciting jobs in travel and tourism, thousands of jobseekers trooped this week to a tourism jobs fair in a shopping mall here. Tourism secretary Ace Durano said the fair would create 33,000 jobs for the travel and tourism-related industries nationwide.

Among those who lined up was Peter Premallon, a 21-year-old BS Mathematics graduate from Sultan Kudarat, who has just ended his teaching contract with the Mati Polytechnic College in Davao Oriental in March. ?Private schools are no longer hiring regular teachers now, so, I’m trying my luck,? he said.

He could no longer afford to be choosy, Premallon said. He will look for a job here or abroad. He will even work as clerk for an oil company, if no other option comes his way.

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In Valencia, Mayor Gags Critical Commentator

Joash Dignos, a commentator critical of the mayor, said he continued broadcasting because he thought that was the only way to prevent the official from harming him. ?I had to continue it, to inform the people about every step he was doing,? he said. ?It was my refuge.?

Story and pictures by Grace Cantal-Albasin
davaotoday.com

Dignos steps out of his station under the watchful eye of Galario's men. VALENCIA CITY ? A radio station was ordered closed by the mayor of this city on Wednesday, who claimed that the station had been operating without a business permit.

But witnesses said the target of the mayor?s ire was a commentator of the station who had been very critical of him.

Mayor Jose Galario Jr. and his men stormed DXVR, a station of Radio Mindanao Network, at past 9 o?clock in the morning on Wednesday after Joash Dignos, the anchorman of the Kuskos Batikos program, refused to stop broadcasting his program despite an earlier closure order by Galario.

Dignos said he continued broadcasting because he thought that was the only way to prevent Galario from harming him. ?I had to continue it, to inform the people about every step he was doing,? Dignos said. ?It was my refuge.?

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People?s Initiative Under False Pretenses

Based on reports citing the unscrupulous ways that the signatures were gathered, it seems not everyone is boarding the Cha-cha ?train? voluntarily.

By Michael Goyagoy
Ibon Features

MANILA ? Although Malaca?ang denies having anything to do with it, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo recently declared her support for charter change through the people?s initiative. In typical fashion, Arroyo likened the people?s initiative to a train that has already left the station, and warned those who oppose it to get out of the way or be run over. But based on reports citing the less-than-scrupulous ways the signatures were gathered, it seems that not everyone is on the Cha-cha ?train? voluntarily.

Charter change through a people?s initiative requires gathering some 12% of registered voters or 4.8 million signatures, with no less than 3% in any congressional district throughout the Philippines. When the necessary number of signatures is gathered and verified, a plebiscite can be held on changing provisions in the 1987 Constitution shifting the form of government from presidential to parliamentary.

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The Real Stories in Camp Bagong Diwa

The families and the rest of the Muslim people will fight for justice for the slain innocent detainees. They suffered long enough in prison cell for crimes they did not commit.

COTABATO CITY — Families and friends of the Muslim detainees of Camp Bagong Diwa, as well as the officers and members of Suara Bangsamoro, were so elated when news came out that the Commission on Human Rights has finally released its verdict about the reported summary execution of some Muslim detainees who did not participate in the jailbreak by the Abu Sayyaf Group on March 15, 2006 at Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig.

This is only the first step for the families of the victims of summary execution. Criminal cases should be immediately filed against former Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Angelo Reyes and Philippine National Police (PNP) director Arturo Lomibao.

With the CHR report in the hands of the DOJ, the burden of determining probable cause is with Secretary Raul Gonzales. However, with the way he is way handling the Subic rape case, Lomibao and Reyes might go scot-free. Judging by the initial reaction of Secretary Gonzales, he will surely squeeze the CHR and the families for the burden of proof.

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