The benefits of 'no-climax' sex

There are millions of articles that tell you how to achieve shuddering orgasms, whether you're hoping to obtain that big 'O' from G-spot, clitoral or penetrative stimulation. But now it seems more and more couples are turning to the Karezza technique, which insists upon lovemaking WITHOUT the toe-curling climax.

REALLY?

Karezza, coined by Dr Alice Stockham way back in 1896, promises to strengthen relationships, encourage emotional intimacy, cure sexual dysfunction and reawaken sexual desire in women.

How? By placing the emphasis on affection, rather than climax. That means NO oral foreplay, NO pornography, NO orgasms and NO finish line to lovemaking whatsoever. Sounds pretty radical to us…

Deb Feintech, a counselor from Portland, Maine, explained to ABC News that the Karezza trend has been reignited, as plenty of couples are turning to the anti-climactic sex technique in a bid to repair broken or damaged relationships.

"The people most interested are men. It's very radical for them, but they are finding the emotional intimacy far outweighs any of the thrill of the chase and the mating mind."

"They wake up every single morning and they are not even thinking about genital stimulation. They are snuggling, holding and breathing with eye contact and flow. It's very conscious - from the genitals to the heart."

Colour us intrigued…

Karezza, as it has no finish line, allows sexual energy to flow for far longer than usual and that, according to the experts, puts an end to partners becoming bored with one another. It also allows the brain to release ocytocin, the 'love' hormone – cue contentment and happiness all day long.

It's a very different story to the ACTUAL orgasm, which affects the brain as dramatically as an epileptic seizure would. The brain becomes unbalanced and, thanks to all those rising and falling hormones, men and women find themselves suffering the equivalent of a biochemical hangover.

Hmm… so it's an acute burst of contentment and happiness, followed by sleepiness, irritability and more.

If you and your man fancy trying out Karezza, you need to make sure you follow the rules. No oral foreplay, no orgasm, no talking. Instead, you need to make sure you achieve the following:

Smile at one another, make eye contact a HUGE priority, spoon for at LEAST twenty minutes, listen to each others heartbeats for a few moments, synchronise your breathing, caress each others nipples and breasts and, of course, gently place your palm over your lover's genitals in a comforting gesture.

It's basically a very long and intense cuddle – and there ain't nothing we love more than a good old squeeze.

The most important Karezza guideline of all? Make your time together at bedtime a priority, even if one of you has to get up afterwards – it's all about forging a romantic and loving atmosphere, rather than a wham, bam and thank you ma'am attitude in bed.

Carabuena suspended from Philip Morris, faces license revocation

Apart from direct assault charges filed by the Metro Manila Development Authority and being bullied online, Robert Blair Carabuena has a bigger problem.

Carabuena, the motorist who was caught on video hitting traffic enforcer Saturnino "Sonny" Fabros, has been suspended from work Thursday. On top of that, he might also just lose his driver's license.

Cigarette maker Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC) said it has suspended its executive, "pending the outcome of the investigation."

It noted, however, that Carabuena was "on his personal time and not on duty for the company at the time." 

A video of Carabuena mauling traffic enforcer Saturnino Fabros has been spreading through social networking sites since Tuesday.

Fabros said he told Carabuena off for making a wrong turn near Tandang Sora in Quezon City.
 
"PMFTC reiterates that it does not condone inappropriate conduct by any of our employees," the company said.

The suspension came a day after a petition dubbed "Robert Blair Carabuena is Bad for your Corporate Health", which urges PMFTC to fire Carabuena, made rounds online.

"[Carabuena] has now also become the poster boy of Philip Morris International (PMI). His behavior is a disservice to the corporate image of PMI and the global goodwill it has earned all these years. We call on PMI to immediately act on this unforgivable incident and accordingly fire him," the petition said.

Meanwhile, MMDA already asked the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to revoke Carbuena's license, Yves Gonzales, head of the MMDA traffic disclipline office told Yahoo! Southeast Asia in a phone interview.

"MMDA Chairman Francis Tolentino has drafted a letter to LTO Assistant Secretary Virginia Santos, asking them to look into the case and if possible revoke the license," Gonzales said.

The LTO also confirmed that licenses may be revoked under certain grounds.

"Pwede po talagang i-revoke ang license, kung halimbawa gumamit ka ng sasakyan na ginamit sa krimen (Licenses may indeed be revoked, such as in cases when motorists use vehicles identified in criminal cases)," Daisy Jacobo, chief of LTO's traffic safety division.

Tolentino on Wednesday said "abusive and arrogant motorists like him (Carabuena), who obviously do not have serious regard to the rule of law, have no right to be in the road in the first place."

Vanessa Bryant's curious quote

Vanessa Bryant, after picking Kobe up from practice (Getty Images)

KobeBryant's wife Vanessa filed for divorce last winter after claiming that the two's differences were irreconcilable, but the two eventually rekindled their union and appear to be on good terms. And, after a tough initial run together that featured an infamous bout of public infidelity, it appears as if Vanessa's good terms are going to be on her terms. She wants rings, she'll have you know. Don't bother even leaving the house if you're not going to come back with one.

From a New York Magazine transcription from Sports on Earth's Nicki Jhabvala, as tipped off to us by The Basketball Jones:

"I certainly would not want to be married to somebody that can't win championships. If you're sacrificing time away from my family and myself for the benefit of winning championships, then winning a championship should happen every single year."

Perhaps someone should tell Vanessa Bryant that showcasing a good work ethic that sometimes leaves you away from the home for long stretches doesn't always lead to championships. It just means you're probably going to be good at your job.

Here is where you can go into the, "perhaps if Vanessa Bryant had a job …"-territory, but don't. She's raising two daughters, which is a full time gig that is to be respected. We should just ask that she choose her words more carefully, I suppose. She entered into a union with Bryant knowing full well that NBA players spend half a season on the road, and that stars of Bryant's caliber spend untold days and weeks overseas fulfilling sponsorship duties. You know, all the stuff that leads to all those houses and all those cars and even helicopters; things that sometimes only lead to a 45-win record despite 35 points per game. Kobe can shoot a thousand jumpers every summer afternoon, but it's not going to mean much if he still has to team up with Smush Parker in the fall.

It's easy to understand what Vanessa is getting at, but she can't have it both ways here. It's true that Kobe Bryant's work ethic might be unmatched amongst NBA players, but it's a gig that keeps you away from home regardless of championship potential. Add in the fact that this is a team game and that no star (no matter how great, or how many hours put in) can win a championship just about by himself, and you're left with a pretty silly statement.

We can't say we're especially looking forward to reading the rest of this interview when the New York Magazine hits the newsstands.

Some parts of Metro Manila sinking, say experts

There’s a bigger culprit behind the recurrence of massive flooding than deficient drainages in Metro Manila.

In fact, top geologists in the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and University of the Philippines (UP) agreed that too much construction of buildings in an area sinks the land mass over which Metro Manila lies.

PHIVOLCS director Renato Solidum referred to the phenomenon as “ground subsidence” or the downward displacement of surface.

“There are two types of ground subsidence. There are natural and man-made causes. It’s man-made when you build structures and buildings. It’s natural when there are earthquakes,” Solidum explained.

“As the ground subsides, more flood occurs,” he told Yahoo! Southeast Asia.

Solidum said that the building of infrastructure adds further load on a surface, which makes the sediments weak or less intact like those in the areas near Manila Bay.

The geologist also noted that the extraction of too much groundwater also worsens the extent of floods in low-lying areas such as Malabon, Navotas, Caloocan, Valenzuela, and other towns in Bulacan.

“Ground water actually supports sand sediments. The support eventually weakens especially when you take away ground water faster than it is replenished like in construction of deep wells,” Solidum said.

He confirmed the study of UP Professor Fernando Siringan, who called on public works and highway officials to compensate ground subsidence before allowing the construction of new infrastructures. 

In a public hearing in the Senate on Thursday, Siringan said that in Malabon, some areas have been sinking by 10 centimeters a year while others descends by as much as one meter in four years. 

He said that the subsidence is easily noticeable, as several places that used to be flood-free now experience flooding.

Siringan also told the Senate Committee on Climate Change that the sea level is also rising by almost one centimeter per year because of global warming.

The committee, chaired by Senator Loren Legarda, was looking into the Senate Resolution No. 560 filed by Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

Defensor-Santiago expressed alarm that the rate of subsidence in Bulacan and some parts of Metro Manila are “becoming somewhat like Venice, Italy where the area is perennially underwater.”

New road rage caught on cam?

Even before a young executive's recorded outburst against a traffic enforcer grabbed the social media spotlight, another "road rage" took place, a video of which is also circulating online.

The video showed a motorist slapping a taxi driver, who also fought back while inside the car.

In a Youtube post, the confrontation supposedly took place Aug. 10 along Julia Vargas Street in Ortigas, after a taxi allegedly scratched the rear bumper of a gold Toyota sedan.

Individuals involved in the incident remain unidentified.

Meanwhile, road rage incidents resurrects a bill filed by Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos. 

License revokation and lifetime disqualification from reapplication--apart from legal liability for physical injury, damage to property, grave threats or oral defamation--are among the penalties for road rage offenders sought under the bill.

If approved, Senate Bill 2923 or the "Road Rage Law," will also mandate the Land Transportation Office to conduct mandatory driving and anger management seminars to offenders as well as similar seminars which the public may attend on a voluntary basis.

"This bill hopes to once and for all stamp road rage as an unnecessary and reprehensible evil, and define such as  a circumstance that could aggravate, or even qualify, an offense occasioned by it," Marcos said in the bill's explanatory note.

"[W]e need higher penalties and sanctions and stricter laws and rules on this matter," he added.

The bill is still pending at the committee level in the Senate since it was filed in July 2011.

Other cases of road rage went extreme, with gun involvement.

One such case involved Paulino Elevado, a customs officer at the Manila port who allegedly shot a college student's van in January this year.

The incident also became controversial as Elevado, whose monthly salary should be at about $250, was driving a Porsche worth about $120,000. Elevado eventually resigned amid administrative and criminal charges.

In September 2011, another MMDA officer also figured in a road rage incident and ended up being shot five times in his abdomen, hands and arms. Traffic enforcer Larry Fiala said he was chasing suspect Edward John Gonzales for his number code violation.

Have you ever bullied someone who's gay?

At the end of the dramatic video, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.

Gloc-9, aka Aristotle Pollisco, had just previewed “Sirena” to Yahoo! Philippines OMG! It was a private screening of the video of the single from Gloc-9’s latest album, “MKNM aka Mga Kwento Ng Makata.”

Buoyed by a driving reggae-ish beat and the vocal interplay between rapper Gloc-9 and singer Ebe Dancel who takes up the main melody, “Sirena” is part “Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros” and part “Hey Jay” from Eraserheads. 

The video shows the trials and tribulations of a gay person while growing up:
“Gamit ang pulbos na binili kay Aling Bebang
Upang matakpan ang mga pasa sa mukha
Na galing sa aking ama na tila di natutuwa.”

The main character, the “sirena” of the song, gets bullied, his head dunked in a drum of water and beaten up to harden his “soft” ways. In the end, when his bullying dad grows old, it is the gay son who stays and takes care of his father.
“Drum na may tubig
Ang aking sinisisid
Sa patagalan ng paghinga
Sa ‘kin kayo bibilib.”
            
The triumph is in the chorus: 
“Ako’y isang sirena
Kahit anong gawin nila
Bandera ko ay di tutumba.” 

Gloc 9 (NPPA Images)‘Exploiting gay stereotypes’

This early, “Sirena” has elicited negative remarks. Gloc-9 tells Yahoo! Philippines OMG! that he got a tweet saying that the song was been mentioned in a Sunday mass homily because of the focus on homosexuality. An online review lambasted the song’s social incorrectness and its apparent exploitation of the stereotypical gay. 

Gloc-9 thinks the detractors are getting ahead of the story. 

He explains, “I decided to write the song after I talked to Raimund Marasigan backstage of a Yeng Constantino show.  Raimund asked me, ‘Why don’t you write a song about gays from a first person’s point of view? No artist has done it yet.’ That was my drive to write the song ‘Sirena.’”

While conceptualizing the song, Gloc already had Ebe in mind to sing it. “We finally met in a show and I sang the chorus to him. Ebe liked it and we made plans to have it recorded after my last tour in the U.S.” 

Vetted by Boy Abunda and Ladlad

The accompanying video for “Sirena” was a separate matter altogether. During the private screening for Yahoo! Philippines OMG! a photographer was openly teary-eyed, saying it made real what her gay friends faced. 

Gloc-9 and wife Thea also approached TV host Boy Abunda to participate in the video. They wanted to make sure Boy wouldn’t find the song offensive to the gay community. 

A friend of the couple sent the song separately to the gay rights party list group, Ladlad. A major supporter of the party list, Boy met reps from Ladlad to discuss the merits of the song. 

Is the word ‘sirena’ derogatory to gays?

Boy told Gloc-9 and Thea that initially, Ladlad felt the title of the song itself, “Sirena,” seemed to depreciate the image of gay people. 

Boy requested Ladlad to listen to the song first before making any judgments. 

Eventually, the group agreed that the song wasn’t offensive and Boy became a part of the video. 

As far as he is concerned Gloc-9, has a simple gauge on being a man: “I feel that today the true measure of manhood is how you accept and handle the responsibility that’s given to you regardless if you’re wearing pants or skirt. For me also, if you’re engaged in a worthy cause or something with a good purpose, you have every reason to say you’re man enough.” 

As the songs says:
            “Di sinusukat ang tapang at bigote sa mukha
            Dahil minsan mas lalaki pa sa lalaki ang bakla.” 

Yahoo! Philippines OMG! welcomes opinions—and the occasional wisecracks—that enrich and highlight new angles on its stories. Below-the-belt rants may be a fact of online life, but that doesn't mean you should turn into a troll. You can speak your mind without bashing anyone. Keep it clean, folks.

What Is High Blood Pressure?

High blood pressure (HBP) is a serious condition that can lead to coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, kidney failure, and other health problems.

"Blood pressure" is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the arteries as the heart pumps blood. If this pressure rises and stays high over time, it can damage the body in many ways.

Overview

About 1 in 3 adults in the United States has HBP. The condition itself usually has no signs or symptoms. You can have it for years without knowing it. During this time, though, HBP can damage your heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and other parts of your body.

Knowing your blood pressure numbers is important, even when you're feeling fine. If your blood pressure is normal, you can work with your health care team to keep it that way. If your blood pressure is too high, treatment may help prevent damage to your body's organs.

Blood Pressure Numbers

Blood pressure is measured as systolic (sis-TOL-ik) and diastolic (di-ah-STOL-ik) pressures. "Systolic" refers to blood pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood. "Diastolic" refers to blood pressure when the heart is at rest between beats.

You most often will see blood pressure numbers written with the systolic number above or before the diastolic number, such as 120/80 mmHg. (The mmHg is millimeters of mercury—the units used to measure blood pressure.)

The table below shows normal blood pressure numbers for adults. It also shows which numbers put you at greater risk for health problems.

Categories for Blood Pressure Levels in Adults (measured in millimeters of mercury, or mmHg)

Category	Systolic (top number)		Diastolic (bottom number)
Normal	Less than 120	And	Less than 80
Prehypertension	120–139	Or	80–89
High blood pressure
Stage 1	140–159	Or	90–99
Stage 2	160 or higher	Or	100 or higher

The ranges in the table apply to most adults (aged 18 and older) who don't have short-term serious illnesses.

Blood pressure doesn't stay the same all the time. It lowers as you sleep and rises when you wake up. Blood pressure also rises when you're excited, nervous, or active. If your numbers stay above normal most of the time, you're at risk for health problems. The risk grows as blood pressure numbers rise. "Prehypertension" means you may end up with HBP, unless you take steps to prevent it.

If you're being treated for HBP and have repeat readings in the normal range, your blood pressure is under control. However, you still have the condition. You should see your doctor and follow your treatment plan to keep your blood pressure under control.

Your systolic and diastolic numbers may not be in the same blood pressure category. In this case, the more severe category is the one you're in. For example, if your systolic number is 160 and your diastolic number is 80, you have stage 2 HBP. If your systolic number is 120 and your diastolic number is 95, you have stage 1 HBP.

If you have diabetes or chronic kidney disease, HBP is defined as 130/80 mmHg or higher. HBP numbers also differ for children and teens. (For more information, go to "How Is High Blood Pressure Diagnosed?")

Outlook

Blood pressure tends to rise with age. Following a healthy lifestyle helps some people delay or prevent this rise in blood pressure.

People who have HBP can take steps to control it and reduce their risk for related health problems. Key steps include following a healthy lifestyle, having ongoing medical care, and following your treatment plan.

30 Largest Facebook Fan Pages by number of fans

For the one year anniversary of Facebook Fan Pages (Nov 2008) I created a new list of the Top 50 Facebook Fan Pages and found that only Barack Obama and Michael Phelps had more than 1 million fans.

After the recent announcement of Facebook vanity URLs, and the possibility for personalised Facebook Fan Page addresses, I thought it would be interesting to create a new list of the most popular Facebook Fan Pages.

Here are the top 30 Facebook Fan Pages by number of fans (including URL):

Rank	Facebook Fan Page Name	Number of Facebook Fans	Facebook Fan Page URL
1	Barack Obama	6,403,120	www.facebook.com/barackobama
2	Vin Diesel	4,896,507	http://www.facebook.com/VinDiesel
3	I Love Sleep	4,513,144	http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-SLEEP/73330003836
4	Pizza	4,438,396	http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pizza/44258313195
5	I need a vacation!!!	4,411,673	http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-need-a-vacation/72161599412
6	Dr. House	4,272,060	http://www.facebook.com/DrHouse
7	Facebook	3,656,863	http://www.facebook.com/facebook
8	Will Smith	3,482,480	http://www.facebook.com/WillSmith
9	Coca-Cola	3,469,069	http://www.facebook.com/coca-cola
10	Adam Sandler	3,267,567	http://www.facebook.com/Sandler
11	Nutella	3,209,214	http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nutella/24932281961
12	The Beach	3,202,312	http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Beach/71457650100
13	Lady Gaga	3,186,934	http://www.facebook.com/ladygaga
14	Pizza	3,174,780	http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pizza/27041826093
15	Starbucks Coffee Company	3,121,797	http://www.facebook.com/Starbucks
16	South Park	2,822,345	http://www.facebook.com/southpark
17	The Beach	2,786,970	http://www.facebook.com/beachgoer
18	Pringles	2,768,967	http://www.facebook.com/Pringles
19	sleeping	2,729,107	http://www.facebook.com/pages/sleeping/140262580443
20	Pizza	2,700,071	http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pizza/38052678801
21	Jackie Chan	2,692,278	http://www.facebook.com/jackie
22	Rihanna	2,632,457	http://www.facebook.com/rihanna
23	Kinder Surprise	2,628,692	http://www.facebook.com/pages/kinder-surprise/21437643411
24	Linkin Park	2,587,919	http://www.facebook.com/linkinPark
25	YouTube	2,586,665	http://www.facebook.com/youtube
26	Summer!	2,565,983	http://www.facebook.com/pages/Summer/61006568944
27	Flipping the pillow over to get to the cold side	2,564,729	http://www.facebook.com/PillowFlipper
28	Twilight	2,543,088	http://www.facebook.com/TwilightMovie
29	I hate stupid people	2,520,504	http://www.facebook.com/pages/Baku-Azerbaijan/I-hate-stupid-people/50283271871
30	Live Messenger	2,504,068	http://www.facebook.com/LiveMessenger

Top 30 Facebook Fan Pages by number of fans (figures taken from Facebook)

Criminal complaint for Direct Assault against Benjamin and Robert Blair Carabuena has been filed

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Raps vs. motorist who mauled MMDA officer

(UPDATE) It was a case of road rage, but now the rage has gone online.

Netizens continue to slam a Metro Manila motorist who was caught on video assaulting a traffic enforcer at Tandang Sora in Quezon City Saturday.

The video, which spread like wildfire on social media networks late Tuesday, and was first posted inInteraskyon.com, showed the motorist now identified as Robert Blair Carabuena mauling Saturnino Fabros, a traffic enforcer of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Carabuena is an executive of multinational tobacco company Philip Morris. In a statement, cigarette maker Philip Morris Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC) confirmed that Carabuena is its employee.

"While the complete facts surrounding the incident are not yet clear to make a full appreciation of the situation, the company would obviously not condone inappropriate conduct by any of our employees," PMFTC said. It added that it will closely monitor investigations that have been launched on the incident.

Meanwhile, in an interview with the TV 5 network, which also exclusively caught the video of the incident by chance, Fabros on Wednesday said it was the first time he experienced such treatment from a motorist. He's been as a traffic enforcer for 30 years now.

"Para akong mapapaiyak nun pero pinigilan ko lang. Napahiya po ako (I had to stop myself from crying even if I was humiliated)," Fabros said.

He added that he only called Carabuena's attention for a wrong turn at the corner of Capitol Hills Drive and Tandang Sora.

MMDA Legal and Legislative Affairs staff have confirmed that a case is being drafted against Carabuena and will be filed at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Wednesday.

In a separate statement, MMDA's Francis Tolentino defended the MMDA traffic enforcer.

“We cannot allow this aggression and shameless attack against our men who are only doing their job as best as they can, regardless of the risks they face in the streets every day,” Tolentino said, as he demanded a public apology from Carabuena.

Under the Revised Penal Code, direct assault can be filed against any person who shall attack, employ force, or seriously intimidate any person in authority while in the performance of official duties. It is punishable by a prison term of six months to six years.

Public engagement

Malacañang said the social media outburst was a show of "public engangement."

"We commend our vigilant citizens who actively seek accountability from individuals in both the public and private sectors," Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in a statement.

He added that such campaigns link individuals through social and traditional media to improve "efforts to achieve social change, by bringing to light any possible wrongdoing."

"Public engagement is the bedrock of democracy. It is at its most potent and powerful when the constant scrutiny of the citizenry serves as a deterrent to the illicit and unlawful," Lacierda said.

Online rage

"Dear Robert 'Blair' Carabuena, mabilaukan ka sana sa ginawa mong pang-mamaltrato sa MMDA. Justice for MMDA officers!" Gerald Santos said via Twitter.

For her part, Twitter user Kristine said: "One of the reasons why Pinas is not improving is because of some people who think highly of themselves."

"I don't want to imagine what could've happened if this Blair Carabuena had a gun in his car," Jong D.G. tweeted.

Some netizens, meanwhile, urged Filipinos to reflect on the public's treatment of government employees.

"We may have a lot of things against the government but it does not warrant us to act like arrogant douche bags," Vincent Benjamin said via Twitter.

Pau Rosales tweeted: "They (MMDA officers) work rain or shine to make sure our traffic situation is somehow bearable, must we abuse them? They are also humans."

Carabuena allegedly deleted his social networking accounts amid the flood of negative comments, prompting further outburst of emotions.

"Ang tapang mo sa kalye pero ngayon, tago ng tago from social media (You were arrogant in the street yet you now hide from social media)," Myra Santiago said via Twitter.

Storm warning signals up as storm 'Helen' intensifies

At 11:00 p.m. today, 14 August 2012, the center of Tropical Storm "HELEN" was located based on radar, satellite and surface data at 110 km East Southeast of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan(17.0°N, 122.9°E). 

Forecast:

Extreme Northern Luzon, Isabela and Cagayan will experience stormy weather while the rest of Northern Luzon will have rains with gusty winds and the coastal waters along these areas will be rough to very rough. Central and Southern Luzon and Western Visayas will experience cloudy skies with scattered to widespread rainshowers and thunderstorms which may trigger flashfloods and landslides. Mindanao and the rest of Visayas will be mostly cloudy with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the Southwest will prevail over the rest of the country and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Expect more monsoon rains -- Pagasa

Manila (Philippine Daily Inquirer/ANN) - Though weakened, the southwest monsoon, locally known as hanging habagat, will continue to bring rainshowers and thunderstorms over Northern Luzon and Central Luzon, posing the threat of flash floods and landslides as people in the two regions, and those in the capital, struggle to restore normality to their lives after this week's floods.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Friday said provinces in the two regions, particularly Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Pampanga, Bataan, Tarlac and Bulacan, will continue to experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. The weather will become cloudy with widespread rains in the western part of the region, the state weather service said.

Pagasa warned residents of those provinces about flash floods in low-lying areas and landslides in mountainous areas.

Low pressure area

Weather forecaster Raymond Ordinario reported that a low pressure area (LPA) had been seen east of the country, still very far but moving toward the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

"We expect it to form and enter the PAR by Monday or Tuesday," Ordinario said. "But we only expect it to pass through the PAR so we do not think it would affect any part of the country."

Cloudy skies

The skies in the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms, Pagasa said.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over Luzon and coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the south to southwest with slight to moderate seas.

Strong to gale force wind is anticipated to affect the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon and the western seaboard of Central Luzon.

Very rough seas

The seas off the western seaboards of Northern Luzon and Central Luzon, particularly Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales and Bataan, as well as the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon in Cagayan are expected to be rough to very rough, Pagasa said.

Pagasa advised fishermen and operators of small seacraft not to venture out to sea. Larger vessels must watch out for big waves.

Pattinson changes number to avoid Stewart

• View Photo
  Robert Pattinson

Robert Pattinson has reportedly changed his phone number so Kristen Stewart can’t contact him.

Last month, Kristen publically apologised to her boyfriend after it was revealed she had cheated on him with her Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders.

He is said to be refusing to talk to her after deciding there is no future in their relationship.

“Kristen is in such a dark place right now,” a source told the British edition of Grazia magazine. “She’s desperate to win Robert back but he’s changed his cell phone number and has told mutual friends to let her know that it is over between them. She can’t sleep and has completely lost her appetite. She says she can’t think about anything rationally.”

Robert and Kristen met while they were shooting the Twilight franchise, the final film of which is out later this year. The movie studio has confirmed promotion of Breaking Dawn – Part 2 will go ahead as planned, which Robert is said to be struggling with.

“It goes without saying that the thought of having to tour the world’s red carpets with Kristen is absolutely horrifying for Rob,” a source said.

NBA TV's "The Dream team"