Itogon marks 100th anniversary

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Itogon town celebrates its 110th Foundation Day with the theme “Working Together towards Good Governance.”

Kalinga day care workers hold convention

TABUK, Kalinga – Day Care Workers (DCW) in the province held their first province-wide convention on December 8 with the theme, “Together let us take care of our future today.”

P5B needed to renovate Leyte airport

SOME P5 billion will be needed to fully rehabilitate the Daniel Z. Romualdez (DZR) Airport, a report of the committee on transportation of the House of Representatives said.

Representative Neil Benedict Montejo of the An Waray party-list said that three major transportation hubs in Eastern Visayas have been assessed and recommended for rehabilitation. The assessment was conducted during a recent visit to the region by the committee, headed Southern Leyte Representative Roger Mercado.

3 anti-poverty programs to be synchronized

THE government will converge three anti-poverty programs in 2011 to maximize assistance for extremely poor families and elevate their economic status in the next six years, a social welfare official said.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Corazon Soliman, in a recent press briefing in Tacloban City, said that the convergence will cover 47 poor provinces in the country by mid-2011 to benefit at least 2.3 million poor families by the end of next year.

Illegal lumber seized

MORE than 2,000 board feet of illegal lumber were recently confiscated by the personnel of the Leyte Metropolitan Water District (LMWD) in Dagami town, Leyte.

Recovered cocaine bricks now at 556

THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Eastern Visayas has so far recovered a total of 556 bricks of cocaine, one year after a huge vessel dumped more than two tons of the drug off Eastern Samar.

Mayor notches many firsts for Iloilo

IN HIS six months in office, Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has already accomplished several concrete projects at the helm of the City Government as well as secured for the city a number of awards.

Mayor heightens anti-littering drive

TO MAKE the environment clean and garbage-free, Iloilo City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog has enforced a quota of 15 apprehensions of litterbugs per day on the drive's enforcement team.

With the 15 apprehensions, each member of the drive's 15-member enforcement team has to have one apprehension a day.

Sandigan issues gag order on ex-military comptroller case

MANILA (Updated 2:32 p.m.) -- The anti-graft court issued Wednesday a gag order for the Office of the Ombudsman's special prosecutors and other parties involved in the plunder case of a former military comptroller.

The Ombudsman was supposed to explain its side on the controversial plea bargaining agreement that former Armed Forces of the Philippines comptroller retired general Carlos Garcia entered into with the office.

Morong 43 'not health workers'

MANILA (Updated 12:42 p.m.) -- Three members of the so-called Morong 43 admitted Wednesday of being New People's Army (NPA) rebels and denied reports that they were tortured by the military.

Cherelyn Tawagon, Eleonor Carandang and Valentino Paulino said in a television interview that they were members of the communist movement and the Armed Forces of the Philippines did not force them to confess.

Pacquiao to fight Mosley on May 7: promoter

MANILA -- Sarangani Representative and boxing champ Manny Pacquiao is planning to fight Shane Mosley in his next bout on May 7 in Las Vegas, said his promoter.

Bob Arum told The Associated Press that the deal will be done after Mosley's lawyers approve the final paperwork for the WBO welterweight title fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Negros Occidental elected to Hall of Fame

NEGROS Occidental was elected to the Hall of Fame as best ferforming province in Western Visayas during a 2010 Pagdayaw Excellence in Local Governance awarding ceremony at the Sugarland Hotel in Bacolod City on December 20.

The province got the award for three consecutive years since 2008 under three governors.

Job order workers to get salaries

AN AIDE of Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia assured job hire employees of the City Government on Tuesday that their salaries will be released before the year ends.

Rodel Parcon, secretary to city mayor, said government processes have caused a delay in the release of salaries for job hire employees.

Bacolod eyes privatization of garbage collection

THE Bacolod City Government is finalizing the plan to privatize garbage collection in the city with the submission of a feasibility study to determine its merit.

City Administrator Rogelio Balo, who led in the conduct of the study, is hopeful that the proposal pushes through, especially with the public-private partnership program of President Benigno Aquino III.

On 75th birthday: Marañon prays for wisdom

NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Maranon Jr. prayed for wisdom on his 75th birthday on Tuesday so that he could govern judiciously and with utmost transparency.

Council asks report on SDC escape, too

A BACOLOD City councilor has proposed a resolution asking for a deeper on the escape of 27 teeners from the custody of the Department of Social Service and Development (DSSD) last December 16.

City Councilor Em Legaspi said in the resolution urged the Bacolod City Police Office and the DSSD to investigate incident and submit their recommendation and actions taken on the matter.

IRA should not be used for bonuses: Robredo

LOCAL Government Secretary Jesse Robredo reminded local government units (LGUs) that their Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) share should not be used for gifts and bonuses of government employees.

Robredo, in a memorandum circular, said the IRA should not be used for administrative expenses such as cash gifts, bonuses, uniforms, supplies, meetings, communications, water and light, petroleum products, salaries, and the like; wages or overtime pay, and traveling expenses, whether domestic or foreign.

Labor department suspends standards inspections

THE Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) will resume inspection activities on January 17, 2011 following the issuance of Administrative Order (AO) 443 suspending all labor standards enforcement activities in the country, including Western Visayas.

The suspension aims to “uphold the integrity of labor standards enforcement by precluding opportunities and temptations for abuse of the inspection power (of Dole personnel) during the Christmas and New Year holidays.”

Hotel tragedy prompts call to inspect facilities

A FIRE that killed 16 persons in Tuguegarao, Cagayan last Sunday should remind local officials to inspect buildings, especially boarding houses and places of entertainment, regularly, the mayor said.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama cited his “continuing” order, addressed to the Office of the Building Official (OBO), Department of Engineering and Public Works (DEPW) and the Bureau of Fire Protection, to make sure buildings meet fire prevention measures and other regulations in the Building Code.

Council passes in mass motion ordinance covering the 2011 budget

THE Cebu City Council approved yesterday the P4.4-billion annual budget for next year, which is so far the biggest annual appropriation approved in the city’s history.

During its regular session yesterday, the council passed on mass motion the ordinance covering the 2011 budget that was filed by Councilor Jose Daluz III, who chairs the committee on budget and finance.

Watcher goes missing at sea

CEBU CITY -- A volunteer who was asked to escort two illegal fishing suspects to shore was reported missing since last Monday, while the suspects were able to flee.

State teachers await incentive

IT’S two days before Christmas Eve, but public school teachers in Cebu have yet to receive their Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) or Christmas bonus.

Fiscal shows previous complaints against his accuser in traffic spat

A PROSECUTOR showed police records yesterday of at least five complaints previously raised against the Japanese national he exchanged accusations with after a traffic incident last week.

Detainee escapes during prison party

WHILE most of the personnel and prisoners at the Cebu City Jail were enjoying the Christmas party, an inmate tried to escape Monday night.

But suspect Agustin Muñoz failed.

15 out-of-town groups in Sinulog

FIFTEEN provinces and cities outside Cebu will join some 30 local contingents in next month’s Sinulog grand parade, which will also feature 500 performers for the grand finale.

Next month’s Sinulog will pay tribute to the Chinese community and celebrate Chinese influence in the local culture and economy.

Reporters get packs of chicharon from PB member as gifts, reminder

A PROVINCIAL Board member vowed to revive the issue on chicharon and the Cebuano delicacy’s alleged health risks in January next year.

Provincial Board (PB) Member Arleigh Sitoy gave Capitol reporters packs of chicharon last Monday as Christmas presents.

Fire razes house during power failure

A FIRE razed a two-storey house on Everlasting Street, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, during a "brown-out" past six o'clock Tuesday night.

Fire investigator Rico Pacamalan said the fire started at the ground floor of the two-storey house owned by Adonis Ebamo.

Misamis Oriental’s P1.4B budget 'hangs'

VICE Governor Norris Babiera of Misamis Oriental on Tuesday said he will push for the passage of the proposed P1.4-billion budget for the province in 2011 as gesture of respect of the decision of the opposition bloc in the Provincial Board.

Babiera, chair of the opposition-controlled provincial board, said the approval of the proposed budget is certain if its content does not violate a provision of the law and is in accord with the Annual Investment Plan set by the Department of Budget.

Books, slippers for school children

THOUSANDS of underprivileged children in Mindanao will soon receive instructional materials and slippers worth P6 million, a top official of the education department said.

Luz Almeda, Regional Director of the Department of Education (DepEd) in North Mindanao said the donation was formally turned over by newly confirmed Education Secretary Armin Luistro as part of the regional book fair in Cagayan de Oro City.

Village chiefs given lectures on fiscal management

SOME 34 newly elected barangay heads of Cagayan de Oro have attended the fiscal management orientation on Saturday at the City Tourism Hall.