LTFRB warns drivers on fare regulation law

AN OFFICIAL of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) has warned public utility jeepney (PUJ) drivers against violating the fare regulation law.

LTFRB Transportation Development Officer Zerita Climaco issued the warning as thousands of students have returned to schools as classes opened Monday for school year 2013-2014.

Davao chamber slams airport management for ‘inadequacies’

THE business community in Davao City called on airport authorities to upgrade the facilities and services of the Francisco Bangoy International Airport, also known as Davao International Airport (DIA).

In a statement issued by Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industries Inc. (DCCCII) president Architect Daniel T. Lim on Wednesday, he lambasted the management of the DIA and that of the Cebu Pacific over their "inadequacies" in handling the incident after an aircraft skidded off the runway Sunday evening.

Davao airport operations back to normal

OPERATIONS at the Davao International Airport (DIA) went back to normal after the stalled Cebu Pacific aircraft was removed from the runway on Tuesday night.

The Cebu Pacific aircraft with aircraft registration RP-C3266 or also known as flight 5J-971 from Manila to Davao veered off to the right some 1,100 meters from the Runway 23 (between taxiway A4 and taxiway A3) during a heavy downpour at 7:05 p.m. of June 2 was towed from the grassy part of the runway around 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Cebu Pacific pilot ‘abandoned passengers’

FORMER Naval captain Marlon Bok said the pilot of the ill-fated Cebu Pacific plane was not able to perform his responsibility when the aircraft overshot the runway at the Davao International Airport (DIA) last Sunday.

"I did not expect that the pilot and the first officer will leave us, so I think. They abandon their responsibility so I just tried to help lang," Bok said at a press conference Tuesday night.

North Cotabato quake affects 204 families

KORONADAL CITY -- At least 204 families or 1,216 individuals have been affected by last Saturday’s 5.7 magnitude quake in Carmen, North Cotabato that triggered 198 aftershocks until early evening Tuesday, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Soccsksargen reported.

Citing the OCD report, Eduardo del Rosario, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, said that of the 198 aftershocks recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) as of 6 p.m. Tuesday, 11 were felt in Carmen town and neighboring areas.

Housemaid, 2 others face theft charges

A HOUSEMAID and two unidentified men are now facing charges before the Regional Trial Court for stealing valuables from her employer.

Charged with qualified theft and simple theft under the Revised Penal Code were one alias Cheska and two John Does of Davao City.

Ex-cop to face trial for abusing ex-partner

A RETIRED police officer is facing charges anew before the Regional Trial Court (RTC) for allegedly abusing his former live-in partner.

Samson Gucayane, 57, of Times Beach in Matina, Davao City, was charged with violation of Republic Act 9262 or The Violence against Women and its Children, Providing for Protective Measure for Victims.

Mayor pans patents on danger zones

MAYOR Mauricio Domogan tagged poor coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as the culprit in the continuing issuance of free land patents in danger zones in the city.

While the mayor remains supportive of the titling of lands through the Free Patent Law, he scored free patents on areas earmarked for road expansions and space allowances near creeks.

Respect muyongs, tree planters told

ENCROACHMENT takes a whole new meaning at the Busol Watershed after Mayor Mauricio Domogan reiterated to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Baguio Water District, and the City Environment and Parks Management Office a standing arrangement relative to tree planting activities in the area.

“May we ask that assignment of tree planting, reforestation, and maintenance in Busol be initially coordinated with volunteers of the Eco-walk program in order to prevent undue overlapping of areas long assigned to other groups who have been maintaining the same for years,” Domogan stressed in his letter to the concerned agencies.

Schools opening in Benguet ‘smooth’

DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) Assistant Director for Benguet Schools Division Sebastian Tayaban said school opening in the province has been smooth adding, “it is orderly and peaceful.”  

Tayaban said there is a lone report of congestion at the Benguet National High School which is being acted upon by officials. “So far, there are no significant problems in the province,” he said.

BCDA, DepEd discuss fate of schools in John Hay

BASES Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and Department of Education (DepEd) officials are finalizing documents to legitimize the stay of some 11 schools within the Camp John Hay reservation.

Among the schools identified without formal occupancy in the reservation are Greenwater Village Day Care Center, Hillside Day Care Center, Baguio City National High School-Hillside Annex, Lower Dagsian Day Care Center, Upper Dagsian Day, Jose P. Laurel Elementary School, Happy Hallow Day Care Center, Happy Hallow Elementary School, Baguio Country Club Village Day Care Center, Baguio Country Club Village Kinder and Baguio Country Club Village Elementary School.

Ifugao lawmaker refiles alternative mining act

IFUGAO Representative Teddy Brawner Baguilat plans to re-file the bill which seeks to repeal the Mining Act of 1995 in the 16th Congress.

The bill is a proposed Alternative Minerals Management law which will be more responsive to the needs of host communities and will be more sensitive to the environment.

Sablan seniors granted burial assistance

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet –- A law giving assistance to seniors in their direst time of need has been crafted.

Sablan’s newly crafted burial aid gives a cavan of rice to the immediate family of all indigent seniors.

Food terminal launched in Ifugao village

HINGYON, Ifugao -- The Department of Agriculture, the Provincial Agriculture Environment and Natural Resources Office (PAENRO), the municipal and barangay local government units launched last week the Barangay Food Terminal (BFT) in Barangay Umalbong.

Narciso Tuguinay, in-charge of the BFT, said the project will make available and accessible quality food products such as meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables at low prices to the marginalized sector of the community.

NIA accepts cash only for irrigation fees

TABUK CITY, Kalinga –- The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) provincial office told farmers in the province that payments for irrigation fees should now only be in cash starting this cropping.

Raymond Apil, irrigation officer for Kalinga, Ifugao, and Mountain Province Service Area who is based in the province, said this is a pursuant to NIA Central Office memorandum stating that NIA would no longer accept “in-kind” payments for irrigation fees except cash.

Cordillera women shine in Kalipi workshop

MEMBERS of the Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (Kalipi) in the Cordillera showcased their ingenuity and talent in their recently held first regional workshop.

Kalipi members from the provinces of Abra, Apayao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, and Baguio City attended the said event that aimed to raise awareness on trafficking and violence against women.

Army won’t disclose NPA’s ‘permit to campaign’ earnings

AN ARMY official said they would not reveal the amount reportedly collected by the members of the New People’s Army (NPA) out of their so-called permit to campaign (PTC) and permit to win fees.

Captain Amado Gutierrez, spokesperson of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City, said that doing so would only give confidence the rebel group to carry out their illegal act in succeeding elections.

Gov’t to distribute mosquito traps to schools this month

THE Central Government will beef up the distribution of mosquito Ovicidal Larvicidal (OL) trap in all classrooms this month to check mosquito population in campuses and reduce dengue incidence.

The Department of Science and Technology (Dost) announced that 54,662 OL traps were allocated for Eastern Visayas or two OL traps for every classroom in public elementary and secondary schools.

Tacloban school has enough tutors but needs more pupils

UNLIKE most schools with persistent problems of lack of classrooms and teachers, a school in the northern part of Tacloban City needs more pupils to achieve the ideal classroom-pupil ratio.

The Sta. Elena Elementary School in Barangay 107 has complete teachers, enough classrooms and school facilities, but lacked the number of pupils, according to its Principal, Flordeliz Lebosada.

10 college studes chosen as bets for Bb Ormoc 2013

ORMOC CITY –- Ten students among the 15 aspirants from the different schools in the city were chosen to complete this year’s candidates in the search for Bb. Ormoc.

In honor of Sts. Peter and Paul for the 383rd Ormoc City fiesta this June 28 and 29, the city will once again hold its fiesta highlight through the Bb. Ormoc search. The screening committee, headed by Archilles Silva of City Civil Registrar, has chosen 10 candidates to vie for the title.

Ormoc inmate dies of cardiac arrest

ORMOC CITY -- A 58-year-old detainee died at the hospital due to cardio respiratory arrest, 7:05 a.m. of June 1, a jail warden said.

Senior Jail Officer 1 Felix Carcellar, jail warden of the Bureau of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penalogy (BJMP), confirmed that Tolomeo Sanchez died one hour after he was brought to Ormoc District Hospital (ODH).

66 new House members take up legislation course

SIXTY-SIX neophyte lawmakers attended a month-long legislators' course at the University of the Philippines National College of Public Administration and Governance, which started June 4.   "It is a House-sponsored activity but we do not require them (to attend). New members are free to decide if they want to attend or not," Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap said.   The House of Representatives will also hold an orientation for its neophyte members on July 16, a week before the 16th Congress opens its first regular session.  

Davao Oriental declared as 'Tourism Development Area'

PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III has signed a new law declaring the province of Davao Oriental as a Tourism Development Area (TDA) in a bid to boost the tourism industry.

The Chief Executive signed on May 17 Republic Act 10560 otherwise known as "An Act Declaring the Province of Davao Oriental as a Tourism Development Area (TDA)."

Junk PCOS, Comelec urged

MANILA -- Poll watchdog group Kontra Daya on Wednesday recommended to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to discontinue the use of the more than 80,000 Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) in the 2016 elections.

Kontra Daya convenor Dr. Gani Tapang said they do not see the need for the retention of the PCOS machines owing to its miserable performance in the 2010 and 2013 polls.

Ched to close maritime, nursing courses below global standards

MARITIME and nursing courses offered in various schools in Northern Mindanao will be closed if these fail to meet the global training standards set by the government to compete globally.

The schools were given a phase-out notice last year for getting low grade in evaluation and for failing to meet the requirements based on the quality and standard assessment of the Commission of Higher Education (Ched) in Northern Mindanao.

Oil firms hike gas price

GIANT oil companies have raised the price of gasoline from P53.75 to P54 per liter on Tuesday.

Shell, Petron and Chevron (formerly Caltex) implemented a 25-centavo gasoline increase.

DOE holds consultations on policies for renewable energies

THE Department of Energy (DOE) held a public consultation on the Code of Practice of Renewable Energy Safety, Health and Environment Rules and Regulation (Resherr) in Cagayan de Oro on Tuesday.

The consultation aimed to fine tune policies and regulations that all renewable energies (REs) need to adopt throughout the country.

Water shortage in Surigao City worsens

SURIGAO CITY -- Insufficient water supply here has worsened since Sunday, forcing residents to draw water from springs and wells.

Rolen Indino, liaison officer of Surigao Metropolitan Water District (SMWD), said it cannot do anything because the limited water supply is due to the drought.

Military’s new tactic: Organize communities

COUNTING the number of communities that have been made peaceful and developed is the new tack the military is implementing to slowly put an end to the insurgency in the country.

Brigadier General Ricardo Visaya, 4th Infantry Division (4ID) commanding general, told reporters in a dinner with the media on May 30 that he has learned his lesson on fighting communist guerrillas.

Another City Hall worker files raps vs Emano

ANOTHER criminal and administrative rap has been filed against outgoing Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano by a City Hall employee before the Office of the Ombudsman on Monday.

Leonor Esparcia filed against Emano violation of Section 3 (e), Republic Act (RA) 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Section 67, Book V, Executive Order 292 (Administrative Code of 1987).