Dubious Cargo Forwarders

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) can already smell the "Spirit of Christmas" this early and many will feel homesick just by thinking about how Filipinos celebrate the Holiday season. And even if it is hard to earn money abroad, OFW will still continue to entertain request for gifts from their families back home.

However, sending precious gifts using their hard-earned money will not be as smooth a process as OFW would like it to be. There are several reports about an increasing number of delinquent sea freight forwarding companies responsible in causing delivery delay and non-delivery of Balikbayan boxes and pilferage, over-charging, and loss and damaged cargoes.

First Woman General in AFP

To cap last month's women's celebration, this blog would like to introduce the first female general in the Philippine Army's 114-year history.

Promoted from colonel to brigadier general, Ramona Go, 54, took her oath last March 2011 along with dozens of other promoted senior military officers upon the recommendation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Board of Generals.

Justice for Ellah Joy

Ellah Joy Pique, a Grade 1 pupil of Calajoan Elementary School, was found dead at the foot of a cliff in Barili on 9 February 2011, the day after she was kidnapped. Her naked body was wrapped in a bed sheet tied to a rock. A seven-inch wound was found in the head, indicating impact from a hard object.

She was last seen with a Filipino woman who picked her up from school purportedly on the request of the girl's mother. The two boarded a Mitsubishi Pajero driven by a male Caucasian.

Angelo Reyes Committed Suicide

A late breaking news from Cynthia Balana of the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that former Armed Forces Chief and Defense Secretary Angelo Tomas Reyes committed suicide by shooting himself in front of the grave of his mother at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City early this morning (8 February 2011).

A close friend of Reyes called the Philippine Daily Inquirer to break the news, while Colonel Boogie De Leon, a former administrative officer of Reyes when he was AFP chief, said Reyes was rushed to the Quirino Hospital at about 7:45 A.M. to revive him. Members of his family could not be reached for comment.

Kidnapped Boy Still Missing

Unidentified men abducted Ceekim Gomonit, 9-year old boy and his grandmother in Zamboanga del Sur on 30 October 2010. The victims were asleep when the suspects, one of whom is a woman, barged into their house and hogtied all of the occupants before fleeing.

However, up to now the relatives said they were still awaiting word from the kidnappers on the fate of Ceekim. The grandmother, Nenia, had died in captivity and her body was later exhumed in a remote area of Sultan Naga Dimaporo in Lanao del Sur.