SOUNDBYTES(From June 2, 2005 issue)

Landbank goal
Land Bank of the Philippines President Margarito Teves said he was confident that the bank will hit its target net income of P2.5 billion this year.

Negros provinces plan ‘organic food island’
Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental are entering into a joint venture to enter the world organic market, which is now $20-billion industry.

GMA launches program to use sugar for fuel
Pres. Arroyo launched the national bio-ethanol program, which will push the use of ethanol from sugar as a fuel additive to easy the country’s dependence on oil imports.

GMA to lead in anti-jueteng fight
Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will take charge of government efforts to stamp out jueteng and will give those involved their marching orders in the next few days. After jueteng, the government is now cracking down on video karrera and fruit game machines.

NCRPO to train bus security men, conductors on bomb detection
The National Capital Region Police Office will train bus security officers and conducts on how to spot bombs and deal with a bomb threat situation as part of preparations for the opening of classes on June 6.

April power usage drops 23% due to 4-day work-week
Electricity consumption in the country dropped by 22.8 percent last April compared to the year-ago level due to the government’s continuing effort to adopt energy conservation measures, particularly the four-day work-week, the Department of Energy said.

SSS, GSIS told to form shareholders’ group
Finance Sec. Cesar V. Purisima has called on SSS and GSIS to “give birth and nurture” a minority shareholders association.

Heart disease awareness pushed
A group of doctors launched a movement to curb the prevalence of heart disease among Filipino women.

Regular working day on June 13
PIA Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye announced that upon employers’ request, June 13, 2005 will remain a regular working day even if June 12, Independence Day, falls on a Sunday.

Nat’l gov’t workers to receive educational assistance
Budget Secretary Emilia Boncodin said national government employees will receive P1,000 each as educational assistance as early as Friday this week.