Luck And Prosperity

Chinese Communities Worldwide Welcome Year Of Water Snake

By JC BELLO RUIZ and CHRISTINA I. HERMOSO The countrys top officials joined the ChineseFilipino community in welcoming the Year of the Water Snake Saturday midnight, marking the first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar. Other Chinese communities in many parts of the world also welcomed the Year of the Water Snake.
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VOL. 482 No. 10 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2013 144 PAGES W/PANORAMA R20.00 IN METRO MANILA

China Opts For Leaner Lunar New Year Rites

BEIJING (AP) Chinese New Year is traditionally a time for colorful and noisy displays of fireworks and generous-portioned banquets. This year, the festivities are likely to be a little more austere. Authorities have asked the public to set off fewer fireworks in Beijing to reduce pollution, a new anti-extravagance drive has prompted government officials and state-owned companies to cancel their banquets at high-end hotels and a campaign against food waste is leading to half-portions in restaurants. Even ads for luxury goods were pulled ahead of Saturdays opening of the seven-day holiday. All in all, Chinas Lunar New Year is shaping up to be a Leaner New Year. Following a call by Chinas
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AWAKENING THE DRAGON To the sounds of horns, drums, and gongs, the Dragon Dance is performed in the heart of Chinatown in Binondo, Manila on the eve of the Chinese New Year on February 9, 2013. At left, Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim dots the Dragons eyes together with Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis N. Tolentino. Dotting the eyes is said to awaken the Dragon, which represents wisdom, power, and wealth and brings energy, protection, and good luck. (Ali Vicoy)

Chinatown Rolls Out Red Carpet For Water Snake

By MONCH MIKKO E. MISAGAL and LEO O. LAPARAN II

Out with the dragon, in with the snake particularly in Chinatown.

Amid lion and dragon dances, fireworks displays, partaking of authentic Chinese cuisines and overlapping greetings of Kung Hei Fat Choi and Gong Xi Fa Cai among family members and friends, Binondo, where

Manilas Chinatown is located, is up and about once again as it joins other Chinese communities all over the world in celebrating the start of the Year of the Water Snake today.
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Philippine Resort Worlds No. 3 Private-Island Escape

LONDON (Reuters) Owning your own idyllic island may be out of reach financially, but boutique hotel experts Mr. & Mrs. Smith (www.mrandmrssmith.com) have come up with 10 exotic locales where you can feel as though youre the king of your own small world. 1. Romantic retreats: Matangi Private Island Resort, Fiji Islands, Fiji Go all Robinson Crusoe with
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Batas Kasambahay: Boon Or Bane?

By CARLOS DAVE B. GARCIA

3 New Helicopters To Track Down Submarine Intruders

By ELENA L. ABEN

(First Of Three Parts) The Philippines is among the countries listed by the International Labor Organization (ILO) to have the biggest number of overworked household workers. This sad reality may also mean that the rights and benefits of household helpers are not equal to those of other regular workers. Their usual income may fall below the minimum salary rate, depending on agreements with
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The Department of National Defense (DND) is looking at equipping three naval helicopters due for delivery in 2014 with anti-submarine gear to

further enable the aircraft to detect intruders in Philippine waters. A senior defense official was referring to the three AugustaWestland AW109 naval helicopters, the contract of
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HOW MAYON VOLCANO WAS BORN Cast members perform during the Daragang Magayon: An Istorya ni Mayon show at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on February 8, 2013. Daragang Magayon is an epic love tale that tells the story of how Mayon Volcano was born. (Jacqueline Hernandez)

ELECTION NEWS

Senator Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. Prepares For His Presidential Bid

Luzon Visayas Mindanao Manila

partly cloudy skies

PAGHAHANDA PARA declared Sen. Ramon Bong Revilla, Jr. when SA HATOL NG BAYAN asked by reporters to comment on his possible
MON.- FRI. 3:30 P.M.-5:00 P.M.

I am not yet ready but I will get ready. So

partly cloudy skies partly cloudy to at times cloudy w/ isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms partly cloudy skies

PTV4 AND RADYO NG BAYAN 738kHz

presidential candidacy in 2016. For now, however, the newly promoted chairman of the Lakas-CMD party said he is concentrating his efforts on one election at a time and will nalize his decision as soon as he is ready to throw his bid for the presidency.

Temperature Range:

22.0oC - 31.0oC

Read more about it and other poll-related articles on Page 14, Election News

Tides: High: 11:35 a.m. 0.32m Sunrise: 6:21 a.m. Low: 2:11 p.m. 0.25m Sunset: 5:58 p.m.

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