Eleven Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) multinational and homegrown electronic companies will gather in the ASEAN Electronics Business Opportunities Exhibition and Conference (AE-BOEC) on December 7 at the Makati Shangri-La.

P.T. Toshiba Consumer Products (Indonesia), LKT Industrial Berhad (Malaysia), Venture Corporation, Ltd. (Singapore), Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Thailand), Vietnam Electronics Industry Association (VEIA), Texas Instruments Philippines, Inc., Sharp Philippines and Panasonic (ASEAN) will present their procurement programs at the ASEAN-Business Opportunities Conference as well as showcase their products, parts and supplies they intend to procure from the ASEAN region in the ASEAN Reverse Trade Fair (AE-RTF).

The Philippines’ fifth participation in Index Dubai, the annual event in the Middle East for furniture and interior industry, generated a total of US $ 6.67 million in export sales, a 39 percent increase from last year’s business deal of US $ 4.8 million, according to the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM).

The said show, which is also considered as the world’s leading interior exhibition, attracted thousands of trade visitors representing various sectors from interior design, furniture manufacturing, architecture, hotel/restaurant, government agencies and retail malls around the globe. It was participated by 1,650 exhibitors from 57 countries.

HOLLYWOOD, CA. — I was privileged to have been invited to witness a mini-concert over at the Church of Scientology auditorium on the night the annual colorful Christmas Parade was held here. The traffic enforcers were all over the place checking on illegally-parked vehicles and making sure that those drunk-drivers don’t speed up like they do at Nasdar. The concert featured young Filipino talents under the care of international performer Sharon Tanyag.

Sharon T, as she is known in the entertainment industry, is an accomplished singer. In 2003, she recorded an original composition entitled “Awakening” that hit the chart at Number 8 as one of the top 20 CD singles. From then on, Sharon T was nicknamed “International Dance Diva.”

What did the witness answer when cross examined by a lawyer in a witness stand? Find the answer elsewhere in this corner.

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Conflict between a religious majority and a religious minority in a country is not a new human propensity.

This has been seen in many societies across the years.

The real concept of development must be free from political monopoly, vested interests, megalomaniac ambitions, power concentration and perpetuation.

The essence of participatory democracy, is the total participation of society utilizing maximally the processes and methodologies of holistic development.

Distinguished Zamboangueño lawyer Melchor K. Sadain yesterday has lauded the police’s Regional Intelligence Investigation Division (RIID) under Supt. Angelito Casimiro for solving the recent series of killings in this city involving policemen and soldiers.

Sadain said the laudable efforts of the intelligence operatives in neutralizing terrorists was a clear manifestation that the lawmen are really bent on running after lawless elements in the society.

The Land Transportation Office-9 (LTO-9) has intensified its law enforcement operations here in the region and has netted a total of 1,894 traffic violations just for the month of November.

Out of the 1,894 traffic violations, 10 vehicles were impounded after they were all found out to be colorum or unregistered, 54 plates unauthorized or improvised plates confiscated, and 1,238 drivers license confiscated.

Police are investigating a robbery that took place at a house in San Roque last Monday.

Police said the robbery was happened at the house of Eleanor Jauhail, married, of Townville Subdivision, San Roque.

The Nuevo Zamboanga Movement (NZM) has accused some city officials of trying to gain political mileage out of the widely circulated and controversial sex video clip, which it said, was “produced and fabricated.”

The NZM likewise accused the same officials as responsible for the proliferation of copies of the sex video clip.

The Zambowood Elementary School led by its principal Benjamin Atiola and the Barangay Council headed by Barangay Chairman Gregorio Gabawa have expressed their gratitude to Congressman Erbie A. Fabian for regularly including their school and community in his priority projects and programs.

“We acknowledge the concern and support we are getting from Rep. Fabian. Indeed, we’re always included in his priority,” said the school and barangay officials of the Zambowood in unison.

Top government officials and personalities from the boxing world are expected to grace the coming championship bout between flyweight champion Jojo Bardon and Number 2 contender Bert Gawat this December 8, 2006 at the Zamboanga City Coliseum.

The 64 slambang rounds of boxing is promoted by the Blue Stallion Promotion of Congressman Erbie A. Fabian in coordination with the Games and Amusement Board, Zamboanga City.

“My conscience is clear. I have nothing to hide in so far as the lot purchase for the Integrated Bus Terminal is concerned.”

Thus said Councilor Benjamin Guingona III on the administrative complaint filed by former vice mayor Roberto Ko against him and Mayor Celso Lobregat relative to the purchase of the lot in Divisoria.

A former Navy enlisted man was arrested after he withdrew money from a local bank using the passbook of his neighbor last Monday.

Police identified the suspect as Jonard Andrada, 23, of Baliwasan Tabuk, this city.

The contraction in electricity demand due to previous power rate hikes had forestalled by at least three years the projected power shortage on the main Philippine island of Luzon, the president of First Gen Corp. (FGEN) said yesterday.

Federico Lopez had warned three years earlier of a possible shortage in the Luzon grid - which accounts for more than half of national demand for electricity - as early as 2007.