Baguio City and Benguet Province

[fall_17]

Advance Happy New Year benguet Province

Congrats to your new Thread 3, New Thread in New Year, New Decade.

[saintm]

Originally Posted by saintm

Municipality of La Trinidad, Benguet
located in Km. 5, Pico, La Trinidad, Benguet (in front of Rang-ay Bank La Trinidad branch)

BAGUIO STORES

Store Name /Tel.No./Address

1. Baguio 074446492 No.33 Lower Session Road, Baguio City
2. Session 2 4465499 GF B-105 Lopez Bldg., Session Rd., Baguio City
3. Session 3 4467449 128 Session Road Baguio City
4. Starwood Hotel 44658311 Kisad Road near corner Marcos Highway Baguio City
5. Naguillan 4425668 Naguillan Rd. cor. Bokawkan Rd. Baguio City
6. Tranco Ville 4425808 27 Rimando Rd., Topaz Bldg.,Brgy. Alfonso, Baguio
7. Abanao 4425898 Unit 2 Ong Bldg., Abanao St., Baguio City
8. Porta Vaga 4426728 Fr. Carlu Street, Baguio City
9. Upper Session (Caltex) Upper Session Road, cor., DPS Road, Baguio City
10. Burnham Chanum cor., Otek St., Burnham Park, Baguio City
11. City Camp Road Baguio Legarda Road cor., City Camp Road, Baguio City

more stores need to be included

[saintm]

Cabbies demand P40 fare increase

CAB drivers in Baguio and La Trinidad are proposing a P15 increase of the current P25 flag-down rate.

The proposed P40 flag-down rate resulted from a series of meetings of the mother organization of taxicab drivers and operators in Metro Manila, said Perfecto Itliong Jr., chairperson of the Public Transport Affairs Office.

A general assembly of cab drivers at the Athletic Bowl Monday turned out the concurrence of a majority of its members, Itliong said.

The group also suggests an add-on of P2 for every 500 meters.

With fuel priced at an average of P40.60 per liter, Itliong said fare rates have to increase. The group plans to file a petition before the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in the Cordillera Administrative Region (LTFRB-CAR) this week or on the first week of January.

The petition for increase is also a result of a separate petition filed earlier by taxi operators and drivers in the National Capital Region (NCR).

NCR's operators and drivers also proposed a P40 flag-down rate plus P2.50 for every P500 meters. The current flag-down rate in the NCR is P30.

Itliong appealed to the commuting public to understand the plight of drivers, saying fuel and spare parts here are priced higher than in Metro Manila.

"Huwag sanang magalit ang mga commuters. For how many years walang increase, panahon na para naman madagdagan ang kita nila (We hope the commuters won't take this against us. After many years of the same flag-down rate, it's time that drivers get an increase in their income)," Itliong explained.

He told Sun.Star that the last increase was in 2006, when cab drivers implemented a P10 add-on to the total fare. However, this was not fully enjoyed by drivers when the LTFRB lifted its implementation pending the board's decision on whether to make permanent the add-on or scrap it.

The petition now becomes moot and academic as they are now planning to ask for a P40 flag-down, Itliong said.

Meanwhile, as a petition is now being readied for an increase, Itliong also revealed that jeepney associations in the Cordillera are preparing to file a separate petition amending the fare matrices prepared previously by the Department of Transportation of Communication.

Itliong said the transport sector is planning to add P1 to the minimum fare of P7.50, raising the new minimum fare rate covering four kilometers to P8.50.

Itliong said he is hopeful that after the LTFRB calls for a public hearing, it will approve the transport sector's petition. (Rimaliza Opiña)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on December 30, 2010

[hugodiekonig]

NOW on his fourth term at the House of Representatives, Baguio Representative Bernardo Vergara is preoccupied in dealing with his city’s concerns.

He has all the reasons to be busy after his colleagues backed his proposal last December 13 to revise the century-old charter of the country’s Summer Capital and make it attune to development programs.

Aside from addressing the problem of informal settlers, Vergara’s House Bill 3759 sought to determine the city’s boundaries. Baguio currently has 128 barangays and area of 57.5 square kilometers.

The city also has 8.7 million square meters of alienable and disposable lands, including properties that have been identified for public use.

Meantime, Vergara’s proposal directs a comprehensive survey to determine the qualified beneficiaries in occupied areas. The survey must be conducted by the local government in coordination with concerned agencies.

Vergara said the revised charter of the city will finally solve problems of land ownership.

The House version will be forwarded to the Senate, specifically to the committee on local governments, chaired by Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Aside from the new cityhood law, Vergara is pushing for conversion of the scenic Burnham Park into a national park and appropriating the necessary funds for its maintenance, administration, operation and development.

The bill is pending at the tourism committee since August 2.

He also supported the creation of Philippine Solar Initiative Commission, Mountain Province State University, comprehensive policy on reproductive health, providing universal healthcare coverage, intensifying efforts to develop stem cell research in the country, among others.

After the session’s adjournment last December 15, Vergara was able to file 10 bills and co-authored 28 measures, which focused on the welfare of indigenous communities and tourism initiatives of the city.

Owing to his vast experience in the government, Vergara is currently the vice-chairperson of House committee on natural resources, public works and highways and tourism.

To recall, the former mayor of Baguio City served as district engineer for La Union in the 1960s and General Manager of the Philippine Tourism Authority from 1978-1986. He is the city’s lone congressman from 1992-2001.

Vergara also sits as member for the majority in the following committees: bases conversion, ecology, games and amusement, health, national cultural communities and the North Luzon Growth Quadrangle. (Virgil Lopez/Sunnex)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/manila/loc...tyhood-charter

Sulong Baguio!

[saintm]

President nixes city's P125M economic zone share

BAGUIO City's effort to collect P125 million from the national government as its share in previous operations of the Loakan economic zone meets another snag, this time from President Benigno Aquino III.

The collectible is part of the 13 provisions of the 2011 national budget vetoed by Aquino.

This is the second time the city's shares as incorporated in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) were shot down. The first was in 2008, by former President Gloria Arroyo.

Mayor Mauricio Domogan said he has not lost hope the amount will still be released to the city.

Domogan said that upon learning the news, he discussed with Rep. Bernardo Vergara how they can collect the city's shares.

Domogan and past city officials have long been asking for the release of the amount.

There had been discussions with the late budget secretary Emilia Boncodin and former budget secretary Rolando Andaya but until today, the amount -- which would have been earmarked for the rehabilitation of the Athletic Bowl during the term of former Mayor Reinaldo Bautista Jr. and used as payment for the Baguio Convention Center during this term -- remains unreleased.

Domogan does not see the possibility of Congress overriding the President's veto.

He and the congressman, however, will try meeting with Secretary Butch Abad to try to ask for the release through direct disbursement instead of through the GAA.

The previous City Council earlier renewed Baguio’s appeal for the release of its shares. The councilors then agreed the city government must be firmer in its stand to collect its shares.

Baguio's accumulated tax share amounts to about P125 million from business locators operating in Loakan and John Hay eco-zones. The amount includes P67 million from 2002 to 2006 that the national government has yet to hand over.

The amount represents the City Government's 40 percent share from the taxes paid by the locators in 2006, the year the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza) law amendment took effect.

The law mandates the direct release of the tax shares to host local government units instead of to the national government.

Accordingly, the share should have been remitted directly to the City Government but was erroneously paid to the national government. (Rimaliza Opiña)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on December 31, 2010.

[hugodiekonig]

[Fraulein]

Happy New Year to my brothers and sisters here in SSC Baguio!!

[saintm]

Baguio temperature drops further
By DEXTER A. SEE
January 3, 2011, 4:38pm
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The mercury level of the thermometer in this mountain resort city continues to register record-breaking levels at the first few days of the year, signaling the prevalence of much colder days during the first quarter which is expected to boost further tourism arrivals.

At 5 am Monday, the first working day of the year, workers in both the private and government sectors who were supposed to be on their feet to start the year right and thousands of students who were supposed to attend the resumption of classes had a difficult time waking up as the temperature dropped to a cool 10 degrees Celsius from 11 degrees Celsius Sunday morning.

If people were not able to bring out their thick jackets and clothes when the temperature in the city dropped over the past few days, they were forced to use the same in going to work or attend classes after the temperature dropped to nearly single digit Monday.

The cool temperature in the city and other highly elevated areas in the Cordillera started to prevail during the early month of November and will end up to the later part of March depending on the existence of the tail end of the cold front.

Despite the unpredictable weather condition in the city, health authorities claimed there are still manageable cases of cold day diseases although they are still on alert for the expected rise in such illnesses once the weather gets colder in the coming days.

The local office of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) cited much colder days will surely be experienced in the city and other parts of the region as the snow triggered by the prevailing winter season in mainland China and Siberia will start melting and that the cold winds will start to be blown to the Northern Luzon area by the northeast monsoon.

However, PAGASA officials revealed temperature in other highly elevated areas in the region are at least lower by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius which makes the areas prone to the occurrence of frost during the early mornings.

Considering the unpredictable weather condition prevailing in the city, local tourism stakeholders advised visitors to bring with them their thick clothes to protect themselves once the temperature will drop when they arrive in the city to spend a vacation.

Baguio City was discovered by the Americans in the early 1900s as a hill station suitable for rest and recreation because of its cool weather condition. The city has a total land area of at least 57 square kilometers that is characterized by mountainous terrain and rolling hills.

Although the city was designed by the Americans for only 25,000 inhabitants, its population now is approximately over 301,000 during the night but its daytime population reaches over 700,000.

[saintm]

Baguio tourism rise felt

LOCAL tourism officials are optimistic that domestic and foreign arrivals in the summer capital are increasing.

Councilor Elmer Datuin, chair of the City Council's tourism committee, said majority of the hotels in the region are fully booked.

The presence of campers in Burnham Park is another indicator that tourism is in the upswing.

Other indicators Datuin noted include increased pedestrian and traffic movement.

The chilly weather, especially during the holidays, also drew tourists to the city, City Tourism officer Benny Alhambra said.

Mercury levels continue to drop in the city with the weather bureau reporting a 12.2 degrees Celsius early morning temperature.

This weather has induced the local tourism industry with local ukay-ukay shop owners like Melody Fernandez claiming they have made sales in jackets and sweaters in the past weeks.

If they have zero to only P500 per day sales in the previous month, sales have risen to P2,000 to as high as P4,000 per day, Fernandez said.

Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan claimed the city is a unique destination that is incomparable with other destinations in the country.

"We should not feel threatened of these new destinations," Domogan said. (JM Agreda)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on January 04, 2011.

[frustratedarchitect]

image hosted on flickr


photo by: Arnel vergara (flickr)

[hugodiekonig]

By DEXTER A. SEE
January 4, 2011, 5:42pm

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan said the city government is on the right track in working for a robust tourism industry complemented by an improved solid waste management program, environmental protection efforts, better peace and order and enhanced delivery of services to the people.

Speaking before the nearly 2,000 workers of the city government here, Domogan said the people-oriented, proactive and participatory governance he adopted when the new set of local officials assumed office last July proved to be instrumental in empowering the people to be actively involved in managing the affairs of the city.

The volume of tourists and fully booked hotels and inns during the Yuletide holidays were concrete proofs that the tourism industry has recovered from the slump of the past few years, he said.

The mayor also cited the improved peace and order situation from July to December 2010 with 1,900 index and non-index crimes recorded by the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) compared to the over 3,800 recorded in the same period in 2009.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/296593...ourism-domogan

[hugodiekonig]

By DEXTER A. SEE
January 3, 2011, 4:37pm

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines — At least P658 million was incorporated in this year’s P1.645 trillion national budget to initially maintain and rehabilitate national roads in the different parts of this vegetable-producing province to help improve accessibility to the remote areas to assist in the growth of the lucrative vegetable industry.

Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan, chairman of the House committee on public works, said there is a need to make sure that roads leading to production areas in the province must be always open throughout the year to ensure that there will be no artificial shortage of highland vegetables in Metro Manila and lowland markets so that enterprising individuals will not take advantage of the situation by resorting to the smuggling of imported cheap vegetables from China.

The House committee on public works has jurisdiction on all matters related to planning, construction, maintenance, improvement and repair of public infrastructure to include buildings, highways, bridges, roads, parks, shrines and other public edifices.

Moreover, another P50 million annually will be included in the budget of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to augment the meager maintenance fund being provided for national roads.

Cosalan disclosed the national roads in the province that are guaranteed sufficient maintenance and rehabilitation fund include the Halsema highway, Benguet-Nueva Vizcaya road, Gorel-Kabayan-Abatan road, Acop-Kapagan,Kibungan-Bakun-Buguias road, Shilan-Beckel road, Asin road, Baguio-Dalupirip road and Tinogdan-Dalupirip road.

The lawmaker added that by his representation with the Japan International Cooperating Agency (JICA), it agreed to provide substantial assistance to rehabilitate damaged road sections by natural calamities that struck Northern Luzon over the past two years.

According to Cosalan, infrastructure development is one of the province’s primordial concerns which must be attended by concerned national government agencies in order to improve the linkages of rural and urban centers primarily to boost the market of locally grown crops, especially with the rapidly growing market.

He explained that once road networks leading to the countryside will be improved, farmers will experience having a much bigger income since the transportation cost of the vegetables will be much cheaper due to lesser maintenance cost of vehicles.

Cosalan cited that prices of farm inputs being brought to the farmlands will also become much cheaper which will translate to lesser expenditures for the farmers and will surely translate to bigger income for their respective families.

Vegetable farming is the main source of livelihood of a majority of the province’s population, thus, Cosalan claimed that assistance must be extended to them, especially in terms of direct and indirect support so that they will be able to hurdle the diffficulties of producing their crops for the sake of achieving the government’s goal of food sufficiency in the future.

Cosalan emphasized that improved roads will surely help the province’s agriculture sector achieve better productivity in the coming months.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/296212...uet-road-rehab

[hugodiekonig]

By DEXTER A. SEE
January 1, 2011, 6:38pm

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – He may be on vacation, but President Benigno S. Aquino III made it known over the weekend that he wants priority given to tourism development in this city and the protection of watersheds in the Cordillera region.

Aquino’s concerns came out when he visited Bishop Carlito Cenzon of the Diocese of Baguio and then surprised city hall officials when he walked unannounced into the office of Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan last Friday.

Local media monitored the two visits made by the President even though they were meant to be a “secret” since his trip here was earlier announced as a “private visit.”

It was learned, though, that when he met Cenzon and Domogan separately, Aquino told them that he wanted Baguio to take the limelight in the Department of Tourism’s program to promote tourist spots in the country.

He said the promotion of the city’s tourist spots, like Burnham Park, in order to further attract more foreign and domestic tourists must be given priority by the DoT.

He wants an aggressive promotional campaign by showing the old and new features of Burnham Park and other major tourist spots in the city, similar to the ads that promoted his advocacy for a “Tuwid na Daan” campaign that helped him win support of the electorate.

Accompanied by Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, the President’s visit drew a positive feedback, particularly in city hall.

Domogan said Aquino’s visit was a good sign of having direct linkages with the Office of the President in the coming months so that they could bring to his attention pressing concerns of the city government that need presidential intervention.

Before ending their one-on-one discussion, Aquino and Domogan exchanged mobile phone numbers to allow
them to have direct access to each other.

The mayor said he will comply with the President’s instructions to write him about the needed concerted effort to preserve and protect not only the city’s, but also the Cordillera region’s watersheds and forests which serve as the watershed cradle of Northern Luzon.

He said Aquino recognizes that Cordillera’s watersheds give life to the lucrative agriculture and energy sector through the water used for domestic, irrigation, and industrial purposes.

He also appreciated fact that the President visited him to discuss the development and progress of this city despite the mayor’s affiliation with the Lakas-Kampi-CMD political coalition associated with the Chief Executive’s predecessor.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/295982...car-watersheds

[saintm]

Originally Posted by frustratedarchitect

image hosted on flickr


photo by: Arnel vergara (flickr)

ang ganda naman nito

[saintm]

Benguet sets up new website

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The Office of Governor Nestor Fongwan is presenting a prototype of the new Province of Benguet official website up for release in February.

Jeffrey Cabato, administrative assistant, said the main objective of the website is to increase public information with the theme "Let the people feel the presence of the government."

"Makikita nila na may ginagawa ang Benguet para sa kanila (They will see the Province of Benguet is working for its citizens)," he said.

Content of the website includes tabs linking to the pages of various departments in the capitol; their mandate and main functions, organizational aims and objectives; the organizational structure and responsibilities; plans and projects; policy pronouncement and official statements; products; services; reports, publication and statistical information; and contact details.

Sub-headings also comprise news and events, scheduled activities during the Adivay, directory, and site maps.

Cabato said 30 percent of the site content is about tourism as it also aims to promote tourism in the province.

A group of IT-proficient employees is tasked to update the contents and maintain the website.

The old website was initiated by then-governor Raul Molintas in 1997. It contained bids and awards committee publications on infrastructure and goods or procurement of supplies, announcements, and press releases.

It was in June 2008 when its host National Computer Center ceased to support provincial local government unit websites.

Bitstop supported it for almost eight months. However, during the renewal of the memorandum of agreement (MOA) in 2009, there were misunderstandings between the parties.

At present, Danalex is contracted to support the new website of Benguet as the MOA was signed last December 14, 2010.

The new website is a joint project. Danalex is in charge of hosting the design, while the province provides the materials like data and photos.

The hosting fee is P8,200 per year and the development fee is P90,000 to be paid upon the completion of the website.

[saintm]

Ipitik festival to stress Baguio's arts scene
AN INTERNATIONAL festival will place Baguio City as a center point for the arts anew.

Representative Bernardo Vergara is backing the staging of the Ipitik festival as part of the Philippine International Arts Festival (PIAF 2011) under the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

Vergara, in his weekly press conference, pledged full support for the Ipitik, saying the city is a melting pot for the arts next month, making the Flower festival more exciting.

A film Festival dubbed as Cinemarehiyon will be one of the highlights of the festival. It will bring together national and international filmmakers.

The Ipitik, last staged in 2006, aims to be a feast for the senses. It is an event celebrating the excellence of Cordilleran arts, crafts, food and culture. The festival was a brainchild of artist Ferdie Balanag with anthropologist Padmapani Lim Perez.

In 2006, artists called for unity in the staging of the 11th Panagbenga working hand in hand with government.

A Tocucan Bridge symbolizing unity, bridging differences and continuity of culture, was also set up at the Burnham Park.

Ipitik in its literal meaning is the action of a mambunong or native priest/shaman as he ceremoniously opens the first jar of "tapuy" or rice wine, and in chant, prays to Kabunian (the traditional deity of the Cordillerans) to bless the wine, the people and the ceremony.

Another highlight of the festival is the Search for the Master Tapuy Brewer, a woodcarving competition, pinikpikan cook-off, 108 gongs performance and exhibit of arts and crafts.

The festival will feature the axis art project by Kawayan De Guia, an art installation which will be the centerpiece and the nucleus of the PIAF.

[hugodiekonig]

By DEXTER SEE
January 7, 2011, 5:43pm

TUBLAY, Benguet, Philippines — The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) recently approved the release of P360 million to immediately repair and rehabilitate seven national and secondary national arterial roads in this vegetable-producing province which were previously damaged by typhoons “Ondoy” and “Pepeng” over a year ago and super typhoon Juan last October.

The fund is part of a multi-billion loan extended by the international funding agency to fastrack the rehabilitation of calamity-stricken roads in the province in order to bring back convenient travel to and from the different towns of Benguet.

Rep. Ronald M. Cosalan, chairman of the House committee on public works, said the release of the funds will surely result to infrastructure boom in the province which will benefit thousands of farmers since it will be easier for them to transport their crops from the farms to the markets once the roads are improved.

Out of the aforesaid amount, Cosalan revealed P119 million will be utilized for the restoration of two road cuts along the Halsema highway, particularly along Km. 18 here and Km. 31 in nearby Atok town, so that the main aorta to the interior parts of the Cordillera will not be in a close-open situation during the rainy months.

Moreover, the congressman added P108 million will be earmarked for the rehabilitation of damaged portions of the Acop-Kapangan-Kibungan-Bakun-Buguias road as well as damaged approaches of vital bridges along the roadline so that the public will not be exposed to extreme danger, especially during the rainy season.

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/297129...-roads-benguet

[hugodiekonig]

link: http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/spo...-bff-cheerfest

Saturday, January 8, 2011

ALL roads lead to the University of Baguio gym when it plays host to the largest cheer dance competition in north Luzon.

Elementary, high school and collegiate cheer dance squads are set to eye another stellar performance with the eighth staging of the Panagbenga Cheerleading Championships hitting the mat February 20.

Sun.Star covers Sinulog 2011 live!

SLU-Laboratory Elementary School, Baguio City National High School, and Saint Louis University are seeking back to back titles for the elementary, high school and college divisions in the tournament presented by Globe Telecommunications.

Earlier, organizers issued guidelines for the annual competition as part of the month long Flower Festival celebration.

A two and a half man high pyramid is allowed for high school and college squads, while elementary teams will be limited to a two-man high pyramid n the annual competition accredited by the Philippine Cheerleading Federation.

Schools from nearby Benguet and as far as La Union and Pangasinan are also expected to troop to the Summer Capital to give the home squads a run for their money.

Teams that will participate in the online voting will be awarded cash prizes aside from the trophies and cash for the winning pep squad.

Invitations to compete, entry forms, rules and regulations will be sent to the schools this week according to the Northern Luzon chapter of the Cheerleading Federation of the Philippines.




AlsoPublished in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on January 08, 2011.

[hugodiekonig]

Saturday, January 8, 2011

NEWS about the dipping temperature in Baguio City continues to attract tourists even after the holidays, said a tourism official.

Tourism Regional Director Purificacion Molintas said the tourists stay for a day "just to experience" the cool mountain breeze.

The coldest so far recorded in Baguio was 9.6 degrees centigrade. This is almost six degrees cooler than the lowest so far recorded in Metro Manila of 15 degrees centigrade.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration predicted the mercury to dip further until the second week of February.

Molintas said that unlike the Baguio folk who wear thick jackets, tourists wear shorts and sleeveless shirts to actually experience how it feels when the temperature is at an average of 9.6 to 12 degrees centigrade.

With the tourist arrivals, she said hotels in the city have been enjoying an 88 percent occupancy rate lately.

Molintas said her office still has to receive data on the occupancy rate of transient houses, and even households that accommodate guests not from Baguio.

She said partnership with other tourist destinations could further boost tourism. She added the Department of Tourism (DOT) is pushing for sisterhood ties with La Union to strengthen the tourism industry of both areas.

This partnership, she said, could also help sustain the number of passengers flying to La Union and possibly come up to Baguio.

Molintas reiterated that having an airport and an airline regularly ferrying passengers will sustain the number of passengers visiting the north.

Zest Air flies the Manila-La Union route three times a week. Its passengers are mostly overseas contract workers and Koreans.

Molintas said tourism in the north is expected to get another boost when the Lallo airport in Cagayan Valley is completed. (Rimaliza Opiña)

Published in the Sun.Star Baguio newspaper on January 08, 2011.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/baguio/loc...ourists-baguio

[saintm]

Pacquiao plans to train in Baguio again for Mosley bout
source: abs-cbnnews.com

Despite having his “worst training camp” in Baguio City last year, Manny Pacquiao is reportedly planning to begin his preparations for the Shane Mosley fight in the “City of Pines”.

ABS-CBN’s Dyan Castillejo reported that the 8-division world champion, who returned to the Philippines on Friday after spending the holidays abroad with his family, plans to divide his training time between Baguio City and Los Angeles.

Pacquiao will be facing Mosley on May 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada to defend his World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight title.

The Filipino described the American as a volume puncher just like him.

“Si Mosley, marami sumuntok. Si Mosley, mas nakaka-alam siya ng boxing kesa sa ibang nakakalaban ko (Mosley throws a lot of punches. Mosley knows more about boxing than my other opponents),” said Pacquiao.

However, Pacquiao's planned Baguio training might not sit well with his head trainer, Freddie Roach.

Roach earlier said that he does not want to train Pacquiao in Baguio again because of the distractions they had while they were preparing against Mexican Antonio Margarito.

“We had maybe our worst training camp ever,” he said about the experience.

The trainer added that Mosley is someone they should not underestimate.

“I just need to get Manny to stop listening to those people who see that this will be an easy fight. That's the worst thing in the world that they could tell him,” Roach said.

The boxing trainer, who molded the Filipino champion from a one-dimensional boxer to a complete fighter, added that there’s no easy fight at Pacquiao’s level.

Vacation well spent

Pacquiao and his family arrived in Manila on Friday after spending their vacation in Japan and Australia.

His wife Jinkee said that it was their best vacation ever.

“Fun and unforgettable. Kasi ang bonding namin sobra sobra (We spent a lot of time bonding),” she said.

Pacquiao said it was one of the rare occasions he was able to spend quality time with his family.

The Filipino boxer had a busy year in 2010, juggling his time between boxing and his new career as Sarangani representative, having been elected as its lone congressman in May 2010.