A groundbreaking ceremony will be held today as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and DPWH Secretary Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr. is set to lead the construction of the first sky bridge in Bicol Region. According to DPWH Usec.Rafael C. Yabut, the project includes the construction of sky bridge 1 which is composed of 300 lineal meter while the sky bridge 2 has a total length of 125 lineal, both on which are 2 lanes of pre-stressed concrete girder. The bridge will connect the towns of Libmanan, Canaman and Magarao in Camarines Sur. The project will also address the traffic congestion problem between municipalities of San Fernando, Milaor and Naga City. They will also build the replacement of six existing bridges, widening of two existing reinforced concrete box culverts, retrofitting of Bulaong Bridge, widening/reblocking of existing 20.4 kilometers of road and construction of 5.5 kilometers of new asphalt road. The project has a total fund of P1.3B and is expected to be completed by April 28, 2011.

Two of the ” Big 3 ” oil companies announced their price rollback today. Reports have said that Shell would slash the prices of gasoline by P1.50 per liter, and diesel and kerosene by P1 per liter starting 6 p.m. today. Meanwhile, Petron Philippines would also implement the same rollbacks by 12:01 a.m. tomorrow. As of post time, there were no other oil companies announcing price cut off to their petroleum products.

Our very own, Camilla Kim Galvez, Mrs. Philippines representative got 3 awardds in the recently concludedd Mrs. Universe Pageant held in Riga, Latvia last August 9. She’s been the 2ndd Runner-up, the Darling of the Press and the Best in Evening Gown. She competed among the 17 contestants from different countries. Galvez is also a former news reporter of ABS-CBN.

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo went to Laoag City to unveiled the country’s first coconut biodiesel project that would be jointly undertaken by Filipinos and Japanese in more than 1,000 hectares of grassland in the northern town of Pagudpud. The project includes the establishment of a P500-million coconut processing plant in nearby Pasuquin town, jointly undertaken by Philippine BioEnergy Northern Luzon Inc. (Benlinc) and its Japan-based partner, Pacific Bio-Fields Corp., led by Moriaki Hayashida, its President. DPWH Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Gabriel Claudio and Deputy National Security Adviser Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson were also there to accompany the President. According to Ilocos Norte Rep. Roque Ablan Jr. and former Ilocos Sur Rep. Salacnib Baterina, the joint venture would give a long-term economic benefits in terms of investments and livelihood opportunities.

Meralco Vice-President for Utility Economics Ivanna dela Peña announced a cut from power charges for the consumers next month. According to her, lower wet season rates of the National Power Corporation and the higher dispatch of the Independent Power Producers pulled down the generation charge by 16.34 centavos per kWh. This would be something we should all be thanked for as it will lessen our burden of paying those charges.

New PNR Trains was launched together with President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to provide more assistance to the everyday commuters. The President tried to rode on a brand-new coach from the Tutuban Station in Divisoria, Manila to Gil Puyat Station in Makati City with Vice President Noli De Castro and PNR chairman Michael Defensor, Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza and PNR general manager Manuel Andal. She also wants to continue the beautification project of clearing up the tracks left by the squatters after she saw the dismantled debris during the trip. The full Metro Manila run will be operational in the coming months though the line from Tutuban to Sucat, Parañaque City will start today at P16 per passenger that would only take 30 minutes of travel time while the Manila-Bicol route could start before the end of the year with a travel time of six hours.

Good news! A ” Big Time Price Rollback ” was announced by Unioil Petroleum Philippines Inc. that gives P4.75 per liter for gasoline, P3.50 for diesel and P1.50 for kerosene. According to Unioil general manager Chito Medina-Cue Jr., the rollback was made to give motorists the lowest gasoline price in the market wherein all motorists, regardless if they are credit card or cash customers, will be given outright discounts on their products. The latest price cuts run counter to the usual market strategy of other oil firms of cross-subsidizing diesel prices by setting gasoline prices at much higher levels. Unioil’s Rollbacked products includes unleaded gasoline sold for P39.69 per liter; Quantum Premium Gasoline, P40.19; Regular unleaded, P39.41; E10, P39.44; Pure Diesel Plus, P31.04; and kerosene, P39.94.