Another friend passes away

Mindanao’s Mr. Newspaperman, Angelo “Gil” Abarico passed away yesterday.

I paid tribute to him, and to Vic Sai, via a privilege speech at the City Council’s session this morning.

The full text is at http://tocouncilorlavina.pbwiki.com/Vic-and-Gil-now-writing-under-the-
universes-best-editor

(9:29 a.m.)

Hurts the pocket

My wife Evelyn and or four children are in my heart today, Valentine’s Day. They are my Kapuso and Kapamilya.

Yet in the case of the heated TV ratings war between the two giant networks, ABS-CBN (Kapamilya) and GMA (Kapuso) my heart bleeds.

I have plenty of friends on both networks, and my wife even provides plant decors to the two studios.

I am saddened that in their recent ratings rivalry both are hurting on their pockets. Due Diligencer reports that from Jan 2, 2008 highs of P34.50 and P7.80, ABS stocks has plunged to P25; GMA went skidding to P5.90, respectively. Both suffering more than 24 percent down. This means that my friends on both side who owns stocks lost quite a sum of money.

This clearly shows that the market reacted negatively on the noise of their ratings war.

(6:35 a.m.)

New Bacolod airport

The national government has just opened the new Bacolod-Silay airport.

I read the news in a number of online versions of national newspapers. However, none described the exact location or how far it is from downtown Bacolod.

Calling the attention of news reporters and editors. The obvious one important information readers and travelers who are not from Negros would want to know is how far this new airport is from Bacolod.

What’s next?

Very intriguing!

After the Erap conviction, people asked “Who’s next?”

I have little doubt who is on the mind of many.

Well, after yesterday’s Senate probe on the ZTE scandal, the Philippine Star has a roadmap on “What Next?“

And with this accompanying toon:

I have no doubt who is tainted with the letter E!

Ehem!

(4:37 a.m.)

In the news

I’m in the news today:

Davao dad calls for reappointment of districts

Dad wants China to open consular office in the city 

(4:29 a.m.)

Club 888 at 8

The Club 888 Media Forum on Business and Tourism at Marco Polo Hotel Davao will mark today its 8th anniversary.

Kudos to all my fellow members from the mass media led by our indefatigable moderator veteran newsman Gil Abarico.

The hotel will host a special lunch after the media forum at its new Saranggani function room near the hotel pool on the 4th floor. Marco Polo Hotel has expanded its conference facilities to meet continuing demand from business travelers as Davao City’s premier hotel.

Awarded for Highest in Guest Satisfaction for the past two consecutive years among Marco Polo hotels in Asia, the Davao hotel was also named Finalist in HotelClub.com’s search for top hotels in the world with more than 8,000 entries.

See you there! (8:26 a.m.)

Snack ads

Two weeks ago, I authored a Resolution in the City Council supporting the promotion of banana chips as alternative to junk foods eaten by our school children.

The Department of Education is now undertaking this promotion in various schools in the region. Banana chips are highly nutritious and increasing its demand means more income for banana farmers and banana chips producers.

Junk foods are the focus too of great health concern in Thailand, where authorities believe the country has set the world record on snack ads on television.

As much as 42 snack ads appear on TV every hour, four times higher than that of the US and UK.

I do not spend much time on TV anymore so I would not know how many snack ads appear on our set per hour. Yet I know that most of those advertised are junk foods with little or no nutritional value for our kids. (7:30 a.m.)

Update:

I could not glue myself in front of the TV. In the 30 minutes or so that I tuned in to a major Philippine network showing a kiddie program at 8:30 a.m., I counted six commercial ads, 4 of which were snack food/milk ads. But the station I.D. and program ads were just too many, 11 in that half-hour. (10:40 a.m.)