After seeing the overwhelming destruction caused by the giant tsunami that poured over much of Southeast Asia''s coastal areas last December, there was little question that nature could inflect her own cruel and devastating kind of terror. Within hours, hundreds of thousands of people were killed, countless more were left homeless and once beautiful coastline was reduced to rubble. Nature made it clear that terror of the human variety -- as bad as it may be -- did not measure up to the destructive force of a natural calamity.

A few days after the tsunami struck, Osama bin Laden issued an audiotape endorsing Abu Musab al Zarqawi and his murderous ways in Iraq. For most listeners, his ranting was almost trivial compared to the devastation in places like Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

There are many provisions in the Philippine Constitution that can alleviate the present economic plight of the country if amended. The members of the Constitutional Commission must zero in on amendments that are geared towards economic development and a corresponding form of government must be aligned on that principle.

FUEL USE

The United Opposition rejected on Tuesday a proposed power sharing with President Arroyo, saying it will continue to press for her resignation.

Palace said the proposal for a government of national unity is not meant to please the Opposition but to consolidate the nation behind the country''s'' economic take off.

Entities owning self-generating facilities (SGF), existing or newly- constructed facilities below one megawatt (MW) capacity which have not yet filed their Certificate of Compliance applications (COC) with the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) were given amnesty by the said commission.

This was learned from Zamcelco General Manager Reinerio Ramos upon receipt of a communication from ERC Chairman and CEO Rodolfo B. Albano, Jr. seeking the assistance of Zamcelco to disseminate the information especially to commercial and industrial establishments.

Mayor Celso Lobregat said the different representatives from the city during the Wednesday''s Consultative Commission (Concom) were able to strongly voice out their views and opinions during the consultation.

However, Lobregat said it is up to the commission to consider the sentiments of those present during the consultation and include it in their final draft to be recommended for consideration for charter change.

CEBU CITY -- With the closure of FMC BioPolymer''s manufacturing plant in Denmark, the Philippines, through Cebu-grown Shemberg Corp., is now the largest producer and supplier of refined carrageenan in the world.

Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines public affairs director Pete Borja said Shemberg Corp., which comprises Shemberg Marketing Corp. in Mandaue City, Shemberg Biotech Corp. in Carmen and Polysacchiaride Corp. in Mandaue City, is one of the very few remaining manufacturers of refined carrageenan in the world.

Five houses were razed in a fire that broke out in Sagrado Pamilya Village, Camino Nuevo, this city at noon yesterday.

The fire that started shortly after 12 noon lasted about an hour.

Five houses were razed in a fire that broke out in Sagrado Pamilya Village, Camino Nuevo, this city at noon yesterday.

The fire that started shortly after 12 noon lasted about an hour.

Five houses were razed in a fire that broke out in Sagrado Pamilya Village, Camino Nuevo, this city at noon yesterday.

The fire that started shortly after 12 noon lasted about an hour.

Five houses were razed in a fire that broke out in Sagrado Pamilya Village, Camino Nuevo, this city at noon yesterday.

The fire that started shortly after 12 noon lasted about an hour.

The conflict in Mindanao is costing the country P10 billion yearly since 1975, the 2005 Philippine Human Development Report says.

The report, released by the Human Development Network, cited existing studies that estimate economic losses measured in present and future production and foregone investments from 1975 to 2002.

I guess I have always been a feminist, a women''s advocate, or whatever term one may choose to call it. As far as I can remember, I have always frowned upon anti-women ideas and practices attributed to Islam. I have always believed that in all of

God''s Omnipotence, Mercy and Justness, Islam can never be as chauvinist as what some Muslims represent it to be.

There are many reasons why a place is being frequented and patronized by customers.

LONDON -- Britain has lost more skilled workers to the global brain drain than any other country, said a World Bank report.

More than 1.44 million graduates, or one in six graduates from British universities or schools, are living and working in other countries such as the United States, Canada and Australia.