Bhutan Tours: Explore A Hidden Paradise

By Panit Pong

Little over a generation ago, Bhutan tours didn't exist. This is because Bhutan is a nation fiercely proud of its traditions and it displayed the same unwillingness to communicate with the outside world as its powerful neighbour China. However, from 1974 onwards, international visitors have been allowed to enter the nation and have seen with their own eyes the beauty that is contained within. Now that the floodgates have well and truly opened, tens of thousands of tourists visit each year, a number that is rising rapidly. Yet it is a nation of many climates so when is the best time of year to take part in Bhutan tours?

Knowing The Climate

When it comes to visiting Mediterranean hotspots, climate is seen as all-important. When planning Bhutan tours, it is arguably even more critical such is the difference between climate and temperature during Bhutan's seasons and in the nation's various regions. For instance, January in the south of Bhutan greets guests with a lovely, temperate climate with temperatures of 15 degrees Celsius and relatively low rainfall. Contrast this with the north of the country at the same time where snowfall is so heavy that roads are often closed. This means you could potentially be stuck in an area of Bhutan where you have no access to the airport.

Here Comes The Rain Again!

While citizens of Western nations complain bitterly about the amount of rain they experience, the Bhutanese get on with daily life even during the monsoon season where 1,000mm of water can fall in the eastern hills over a 3 month period. Even the wettest winters in places like the UK and Australia look like minor inconveniences in comparison! The monsoon season traditionally hits in June and July which explains why it is cheaper to travel to Bhutan during this time of year. In most cases, you can expect a 20% discount when compared to travelling at peak times which tends to be from November to January. It is also worth noting that Paro airport has been known to cancel flights at this time of year due to poor visibility so bear this in mind when visiting during the monsoon period.

Winter of Content

While the autumn is the most common time of Bhutan tours to take place, there is a level of beauty and tranquility experienced in winter that is not always on offer in the autumn. While the north of the country can be inhospitable at this time, the south resembles a tropical paradise. As you would be staying in Bhutan outside of the traditional rush season, you could get to explore this wonderful nation without having to compete for the attentions of tour guides. The sooner you take advantage of this quiet period, the better because it is only a matter of time before the 'high season' extends in December, January and February.

Experience comfortable living + easy affordable plans

Whether you book Bhutan tours for trekking or sightseeing, there is something in the country for everyone. It is another side of life that you will never see anywhere else so fly to Bhutan and relax as a different world operates around you.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Panit_Pong

Saint Malachy Prophecy: Why Pope Benedict is the "Glory of the Olive"

Posted by Taylor Marshall 

Christ at the Mt of Olives in Agony

Is this why Pope Benedict the "Glory of the Olive"?

Like Father "Z"uhlsdorf and others, I've been thinking a lot about the Saint Malachy "Prophecy of the Popes." Saint Malachy's prophecy is a series of 112 phrases predicting the Popes from Pope Celestine II until what seems to be the very last pontiff identified as "Peter the Roman". If the prophecies are true, then Pope Benedict XVI is the second to last Pope, and he is identified as the "Glory of the Olive". In this post, I want to investigate why Pope Benedict XVI is called there the "Glory of the Olive."

Many have said it has to do with an obscure connection between the Olivetans and his pontifical name "Benedict." Like others, I have always found this to be a strained explanation. In light of the Holy Father's recent abdication, I think we may have a new hint as to why Pope Benedict XVI is the "Glory of the Olive."

Warning: If what I'm about to suggest is true, it may make some feel uncomfortable. In other words, we may be headed for some difficult times...

An Analysis of the Malachy Prophecy's List of Popes

Here is an analysis of the end of the Malachy list. The Latin phrases are the ones given by the Malachy list:

• Bl. John XXIII (1958-1963) Pastor et Nauta("Pastor and Sailor" - he was Patriarch of the port city of Venice)
• Paul VI (1963-1978) Flos florum ("Flower of flowers" - his coat of arms had three lilies on it)
• John Paul I (1978) De medietate Lunae ("of half of the moon" born in the diocese of Belluno, (beautiful moon). His reign lasted about a month, from half a moon to the next half)
• Bl John Paul II (1978-2005) De labore Solis - "of the labor of the sun" - he was born during a solar eclipse
• Benedict XVI Gloria olivae ("glory of the olive")
• Peter the Roman, which includes this description:

In persecutione extrema S.R.E. 

sedebit Petrus Romanus, 

qui pascet oves in multis tribulationibus, 

quibus transactis civitas septicollis diruetur, 

& judex tremedus judicabit populum suum. Finis.

Which translates:

"In the last persecution of the Holy Roman Church, 

there will sit Peter the Roman, 

who will pasture his sheep in many tribulations, 

and when these things have happened, 

the seven-hilled city will be destroyed, 

and the terrible judge will judge his people. The End."

As you can see, if the list is legit, Pope Benedict is the next-to-last Pope.

But Why is Benedict XVI the "Glory of the Olive"?

Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night He was betrayed, after the Last Supper, went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. We Catholics know this as the First Sorrowful Mystery, the Agony in the Garden.

The word Gethsemane in Hebrew is: גת שמנים‎ and it means "olive oil press." In fact, the Garden of Gethsemane is located at the Mount of Olives.

The Agony of the Garden among the olive trees is the prelude to the Passion of Christ! The episode at the Mount of Olives is the beginning of the redemptive sorrows ending in the crucifixion and death of Christ.

So likewise, Pope Benedict's sorrowful agony as Pope may be the prelude to the final Passion of Christ's Church. His papacy is the glory of the olive because he was placed in the Agony of the Garden for the Church. All have fallen asleep. He is betrayed by his closest friends and counselors. He is all alone. He is staring into the chalice of God's wrath and he is asking that it be taken from him!

“And they came to a farm called Gethsemani. And he saith to his disciples: Sit you here, while I pray. And he taketh Peter and James and John with him: and he began to fear and to be heavy. And he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death. Stay you here and watch. And when he was gone forward a little, he fell flat on the ground: and he prayed that, if it might be, the hour might pass from him. And he saith: Abba, Father, all things are possible to thee: remove this chalice from me; but not what I will, but what thou wilt.” (Mark 14:32–36, D-R)

Pope Benedict is alone and he may know that we are about to enter into the Passion of the Catholic Church. The abdication may confirm that Pope Benedict is the Glory of the Olive. He is asking God to "remove this chalice from me." 

If the Malachy list is legit, then the events of the last several days reveal something more profound about the Benedict's identity as the "Glory of the Olive." So far, his identity with the "olive" is more obvious. Like Christ His Lord, His Holiness is alone and betrayed. Perhaps something "glorious" will happen in the next days and weeks. Let's pray for our Holy Father. And let's pray for the Catholic Church.

I want to reiterate that I remain optimistic about the future, even if we are entering into difficult times. Remember the words of Saint John: "Because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."(1 Jn 4:4, D-R) I would encourage you to memorize that Bible verse.

Question: Are we entering into the final "Passion of the Catholic Church"? Also, how would the papal abdication relate to the phrase "remove this chalice from me"? Please leave a comment below in the comment box. I would like to hear your ideas and suggestions.

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New online booking: It’s more fun on underground river tour

By Jocelyn R. Uy
Philippine Daily Inquirer

3:52 am | Tuesday, February 19th, 2013

 0 17 14

Travelers can now expect a smoother visit to the famous subterranean river in Puerto Princesa City with a new online booking system, a project launched by the Department of Tourism (DOT) in partnership with the local government.

MANILA, Philippines—Travelers from across the world can now expect a smoother visit to the country’s famous subterranean river in Puerto Princesa City with a new online booking system, a project launched by the Department of Tourism (DOT) in partnership with the local government.

In a statement issued Monday, the DOT said the online booking system was aimed at easing the traffic of tourists visiting the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) and avoiding confusion in securing permits from the PPUR office.

“Puerto Princesa City is a perfect example of a local government unit that works hand in hand with the national government,” said Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. in a statement on Monday.

“We in the department are enablers of tourism. The active participation on the ground is what makes things happen, as it is always done on the people’s behalf,” he said.

The DOT and the local government’s joint launch of the online booking system for the PPUR is just the beginning of their effort to implement measures that would help ensure that the world-famous attraction’s carrying capacity will not be compromised, said Jimenez.

Being named among the world’s new Seven Wonders of Nature last year, the 8.2-kilometer Palawan river has become a top tourism draw, recording an increase of 45 percent in arrivals since 2011, according to the DOT.

The tourism agency turned over the online booking system—which can be accessed through http://ppur.com.ph even by travel agencies all over the country and even abroad—to the city government on Feb. 7.

It noted that successful bookings will receive an e-mail notification, which will serve as a digital invoice that has to be printed and presented upon the visit to the PPUR.

For his part, Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn said he was optimistic the new system would result in “renewed fun” in the city and would help put in place a more efficient payment mode for visitors.

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College profs must have master’s degrees, SC rules

By Jerome Aning
Philippine Daily Inquirer

 34 1136 1052

The Supreme Court has upheld the policy of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) requiring teachers of tertiary schools to acquire postgraduate degrees to become tenured or regular employees.

In an eight-page decision dated Jan. 23, the court’s Third Division junked the suit of two University of the East professors who charged the school with illegal dismissal after their dean repeatedly extended their probationary status as professors for not having master’s degrees.

The justices, pointing out that the operation of educational institutions involved the public interest, said the requirement of a master’s degree for college teachers was “not unreasonable.”

“The government has a right to ensure that only qualified persons in possession of sufficient academic knowledge and teaching skills are allowed to teach in such institutions. Government regulation in this field of human activity is desirable for protecting, not only the students, but the public as well from ill-prepared teachers lacking in the required scientific or technical knowledge. They may be required to take an examination or to possess postgraduate degrees as a prerequisite to employment,” the court said in the decision penned by Justice Roberto Abad.

Concurring with Abad were the division chairman, Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr., and members Diosdado Peralta, Jose Mendoza and Marvic Leonen.

The petitioners, UE professors Analiza Pepanio and Mariti Bueno, who were hired in 2000 and 1997, respectively, filed a labor case against then UE dean Eleanor Javier, contesting the school’s policy that obligated them to acquire master’s degrees as a condition for tenureship.

Pepanio and Bueno said the 1994-1999 collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between UE management and its faculty provided that the school shall extend semester-to-semester appointments to college faculty staff like themselves who did not possess the minimum qualifications such as a master’s degree.

In 2001, the new CBA extended probationary full-time appointments to full-time faculty members who did not yet have the required postgraduate degrees provided that the latter complied with the requirement within their probationary period.

In 2003, Javier reminded Pepanio and Bueno of the expiration of their probationary status. The two, however, demanded that they be placed on regular status given the years of service they had rendered.

The labor arbiter, in 2004, ruled in favor of the professors and ordered their reinstatement. UE, however, appealed to the National Labor Relations Commission, which reversed the arbiter’s decision in 2006.

The professors ran to the Court of Appeals and in 2010 secured a reversal of the NLRC decision. The UE management then elevated the case to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court noted that as early as 1992, the then Department of Education, Culture and Sports had issued a revised manual of regulations for private schools which required college faculty members to have a master’s degree as a minimum educational qualification for acquiring regular status. The CHEd, created in 1994 to supervise tertiary schools, upheld the requirement.

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Freed Of Corruption, Firm Soars

February 17, 2013, 7:00pmBy Kris Bayos

MANILA, Philippines --- A sequestered corporation under the supervision of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) has posted a whopping 213 percent increase in income for 2012 after reforms were instituted and corruption curbed.

Based on its unaudited financial statement for 2012, the Bataan Shipyard and Engineering Corporation (BASECO) earned P54 million last year. PCGG said BASECO – marred with excessive directors’ fees and employees’ compensation under the previous administration – earned P17 million in 2011 and posted a steady increase in revenue from P51 million in 2011 to P70 million in 2012.

PCGG Chairman Andres Bautista said the growth is attributed to the reforms instituted by the current management when it took over the corporation in July 2011.

“The new management immediately implemented institutional reforms such as reduction of excessive directors’ fees and employees’ compensation, including rationalization of its manpower, suspension of onerous contracts, investigation of questionable transactions, and adoption of internal control measures. It also ordered the bidding of the lease of its properties to obtain competitive rents,” he said.

Bautista said the new management of BASECO has requested the Commission on Audit (COA) to conduct a fraud audit on the transactions entered into by the previous management to confirm its initial findings of irregularities.

“Appropriate steps, including the sending of demand letters (to previous directors and employees), have been undertaken for the accounting, liquidation and recovery of excessive allowances, bonuses and other irregular disbursements,” he said.

The official added that “appropriate complaints against erring officials are being prepared” against previous directors and employees of BASECO who would not heed the PCGG’s demand for liquidation and return of excessive fees and compensation.

Bautista added that BASECO likewise opened an escrow account with the Bureau of Treasury for the first time after it remitted P15 million to the National Treasury in 2011 and P17 million in 2012.

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APPLEONE BANAWA HEIGHTS - Good Sheperd St., Banawa, Cebu City

APPLEONE BANAWA HEIGHTS - Good Sheperd St., Banawa, Cebu City

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Lighting Solutions Cut Power Usage

Filipino-owned Eco Lighting Solutions has offered lighting solutions that promise to reduce electricity consumption by as 66 percent with the use of the energy-efficient HyMOES-HGD green lighting technology.February 11, 2013, 6:33pm

Rommel Lacap, head of business development, said at the product launch that the HyMOES-HGD green lighting is a technology of Taiwan’s EcoLumina.

HyMOES-HGD promises to curb electricity consumption by delivering comparable levels of illumination using less wattage thus resulting in huge power cost savings.

“This is good news for the Philippines, which electricity cost has been found to be among the highest in the world,” Lacap said.

A study released last August by International Energy Consultants ranked the country ninth in a survey of 44 territories.

The challenge of increasing costs has pushed the lighting industry and its end-users toward the direction of reducing costs and going green.

The HyMOES-HGD technology applies patented electronics in purpose-built assemblies to maximize the output of commonly available High Gas Discharge (HGD) bulbs.

HyMOES-HGD lights have been observed to produce similar levels of illumination at one-third of regularly used wattage, cutting electricity consumption significantly and contributing to energy conservation.

Already, a number of companies in the Philippines have begun switching to EcoLumina’sHyMOES-HGD lights with impressive results. The Crown Regency Hotel and Tower in Cebu has deployed EcoLumina’s Haiperion street lights, in keeping with their resolve to go green and keep energy-efficient.

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf chain meanwhile has started using the Ecrown lights for their warehouse.

“Reducing cost and increasing the quality of lighting in our warehouses is a critical priority, allowing us to continously provide the best products and services to our customers and to efficiently cater to our rapidly expanding business,” said Walden Chu, President of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Philippines.

“After careful evaluation of several alternatives, we settled onEcoLumina’sHyMOES-HGD products due their reliability, ease of maintenance, and high quality lux and lumens,” he said.

EcoLumina’sHyMOES-HGD lights have likewise proven to be cost-effective alternatives in commercial, industrial and public settings across the Asia-Pacific.

At Guam’s Outrigger Resort, EcoLumina’s 250-watt Wualightflood lights have replaced the previously installed 1000-watt conventional fixtures, and now provide comparable illumination for nighttime beachfront activities.

In Batam, Indonesia, 35-watt versions of the Wualight also replaced higher-wattage products in billboard installations, offering the same brightness at less electricity cost.

In Taipei’s National Tax Administration office, EcoLumina’s 150-watt Ecrown high bay lights replaced 450-watt metal halide lights. Even with the decrease in wattage, illumination was improved from 150 to 680 lux (the unit of measuring illumination per unit area) resulting in 66% savings in electricity costs.

All EcoLumina products are certified by UL, CE, EMC, FCC and TISI; and are compliant with ROHAS standards. EcoLumina received the Light Fair Innovation award from 2010 to 2012, as well as the Taiwan Excellence Award this year, in recognition of its work on eco-friendly, cost-reducing lighting technology. (BCM)

 When in Cebu City, please visit http://www.gregmelep.com for your real estate and retirement needs. Avail of the opportunity to own a condominium unit in Cebu City at the low amount of only P9,333.33 and House and Lot @ P 7,306.81/month only. Hurry while supply of units still last. Just call the Tel. Nos. shown herein: (053)555-84-64/09164422611/09173373687.