Members of anti-illegal drugs group increasing
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- An official from the Pampanga Police Provincial Office said Sunday that the membership of “Kayanakan: Yaman Ning Balen at Ehemplu Laban Queng Droga (Kayabe)” is continuously growing.
Police Superintendent Jhoanna Rosales, chief operations branch of the PPPO, said the total membership of “Kayabe” already reached more than 500 young individuals.
She said most of the members are elected Youth Council officials from the 15 towns in the province.
Firm stops tree cutting
ENVIRONMENT officials and the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) have stepped-up their efforts to prevent the cutting of 1,033 pine trees inside Camp John Hay.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Ramon Paje, in a memorandum dated January 27, ordered John Hay Management Corporation (JHMC) to cease and desist from cutting and earth-balling trees relative to the ongoing development in the former US military base.
Benguet flowers still best way to say “I love you”
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Sixty-four-year-old Agnes Dampac still talks to her flowers everyday; she says it makes them grow better.
Dampac along with hundreds of flower growers in barangay Bahong is prepared for today’s celebration of Valentine’s. She proudly said most of the flowers sold in Manila today came from the province.
Broadcasters Club elects new set of officers
SOME 130 members of the Baguio Correspondents and Broadcasters Club (BCBC) casted their votes Sunday to elect this year’s set of officers.
Harley Palangchao of Baguio Midland Courier won as president against Z Radio’s Edong Carta.
More improvements for Burnham set
EFFORTS to develop and rehabilitate Baguio’s premiere park are nearing completion.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan said the newly rehabilitated Burnham Park’s Rose Garden is due for inauguration on February 25 with Department of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez as guest of honor.
Civil Service Commission opens exams
THE Civil Service Commission (CSC) is now accepting applications for the Career Service Professional and Sub-Professional written examinations to be conducted on May 27.
Applications are being accepted at CSC Regional and field offices nationwide until April 12.
However, the application period may be closed any time before said date once the CSC Regional or field office has reached its quota.
Media demands justice for murdered colleague
BANGUED, Abra - Members of the Journalists and Correspondents Club of Abra (Jacca), an organization of local media here, continue to demand for continuing justice for the brutal murder of radio DJ Cirilo Gallardo last year and all victims of killings in the province.
The Jacca conducted a motorcade around the town proper of Bangued and Tayum and to the tomb of Sir Ciril a.k.a. Geo Rabbit and Totsyril of DWWM Spirit FM radio last January 30 in commemoration of his first death anniversary.
High school students learn disaster plans
AS PART of Baguio City National High School’s disaster mitigation measures, the school conducts drills (mostly fire and earthquake drills) from time to time in order to educate students on what to do in the event of disasters.
“During drills we practice the easiest and fastest way out of a building. Besides that, we also get to try escape or survival techniques”, says Ceasar Canutab, president of 111-Kindness, one of the sections in the year level that recently conducted an earthquake drill.
Cordi cops celebrate 21st birthday
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – Cordillera police celebrated the 21st anniversary of the Philippine National Police in simple rites.
The celebration started solemnly with wreath laying rites for fallen member of the highland force led by widows of deceased Police Officers offered wreaths at the heroes’ monument inside the Camp.
Police Regional Director Magan-non lauded the efforts of Cordillera chief Benjamin Magalong for efforts to improve police service.
Award-winning filmmaker returns to Baguio City
A PRIDE of the University of Baguio (UB) is set to return to the City of Pines this February for an art exhibit and film showing that will spice up the coming Panagbenga Festival.
Award-winning filmmaker and environmentalist Eufemia “Minnie” Solomon Crouse brings her best works to UB, where she finished a technical course almost five decades ago.
The legends of Valentine’s Day
EVERY February 14, around the country and around the world, candies, flowers and gifts are exchanged between loved ones all in the name of St. Valentine.
But who is this mysterious saint, and where did these traditions come from? Find out about the history of this centuries - old holiday, from ancient Roman rituals to the customs of Victorian England.
The legend of St. Valentine
Frost seen this season
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The occurrence of frost in the hinterlands is expected this cold season.
But farmers are ready to counter its effects on their crops even as the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist have not received reports of farmlands affected by frost.
Provincial Agriculturist Lolita Bentres said even if frost or ‘andap’ is expected this cold month of February, she stressed frost does not cause any injury to plants.
Frost normally occurs from November to February.
It is usually experienced in Paoay in Atok, Madaymen in Kibungan and Natubleng in Buguias, said Bentres.
High Court expects Senate action on Corona's dollar accounts
MANILA (Updated) -- Supreme Court (SC) justices had anticipated the Senate impeachment court's action to keep the confidentiality of Chief Justice Renato Corona’s dollar accounts at the Philippine Savings Bank (PSBank).
SC spokesperson Midas Marquez made the statement on Monday as the senators voted to abide by the High Court ruling issued last week despite the alleged P100-million bribe offered by Malacañang to each senator to defy the temporary restraining order (TRO).
4 robbery suspects arrested
POLICE arrested four men, including a minor, believed to be behind the series of robbery incidents in Davao City.
Superintendent Antonio E. Rivera, chief of the San Pedro police station, identified the suspects as Billy Manaog Albarracim, 19, of Agdao; John Carlo P. Ruta, 20, of Sta. Cruz in Agdao; James Brigol Lumen, 25, of Malinawon Village in Bangkal; and one Richard (real name withheld for being a minor). The suspects were arrested in separate operations.
P100,000 valuables lost to robbers
AROUND P100,000 worth of valuables were lost to robbers in separate incidents in Davao City on Sunday.
The first robbery victim was identified as Hazel Aliden Mendez, 32, nurse, resident of Doña Vicenta Village.
Pinoys with inactive lifestyle may develop diabetes
DUE to inactive lifestyle, Filipinos are more likely to develop diabetes, which is among the leading causes of mortality in the country.
Dr. Roy Ferrer, president of the Diabetes Philippines Davao Chapter, said Monday that patients with diabetes topped the number of admissions in tertiary hospitals in the country.
Still no justice for V-Day blast victims
JUSTICE will remain elusive to victims of the Valentine's Day bombing at Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (Dcott) seven years ago as the case has already been archived.
The incident, which happened on February 14, 2005, killed a 12-year-old boy and injured six others.
Land Bank employee denies 'ill-gotten' wealth charges
THE Davao City-based employee of the Land Bank of the Philippines denied accusations on Monday he accumulated ill-gotten wealth for the past 15 years.
"Dili gyud na siya tinuod. Makita man nimo naa man tanan kompleto diri (That is not true. You can see it all here)," Elmer Luceño Olores, LBP-Davao agrarian affairs specialist, told Sun.Star Davao, pointing to his personal records of Statements of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN).
City alerts village execs on weather disturbance
THE Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DCDRRMC) has alerted anew all barangays for calamities that may be brought by the weather disturbance affecting the southern Mindanao.
Retired Colonel Mario Verner Monsanto, executive officer of the DCDRRMC, in its advisory dated February 10, alerted all barangay captains in the city on the weather disturbance sighted Friday last week.
"You are hereby directed to monitor the situation and undertake precautionary measures in your areas of responsibility," Monsanto told all disaster response units in the barangay level.
City spends 81% of education fund in 2011
DAVAO City utilized 81 percent of its Special Educational Fund (SEF) for 2011, which translates to P254.9 million of the total P314.4 million.
The statement of income and expenses of the City Government for the calendar year 2011 showed that of the P314,422,004.71 gross income under SEF, a total of P254,956,622.76 was spent by the city, a large chunk of which or 18 percent went to salaries and wages of regular of city-paid teachers amounting to P57,836,797.33.
'One terminal policy' to be strictly implemented
THE Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (Dcott), with the assistance of the Philippine National Police (PNP), will strictly implement the “one terminal policy.”
This developed after finding out that only six out of 10 buses of Island City Express are actually paying terminal fees with the city.
Maribeth Lumactod, acting chief of Dcott, told Sun.Star Davao that after learning about the report, they immediately called the attention of the bus company's management about the misdoings of some of their drivers.
Explosives found in Davao village
DAVAO CITY – Authorities have recovered five boxes containing dynamites and commercial fuse near a subdivision in Barangay Tacunan, Tugbok District in Davao City Monday morning.
Senior Inspector Antonio C. Villacarlos, chief of the Tugbok police station, said 12-year-old Elton, a student in Mintal, found the 800 dynamite sticks and 1,000 meters of commercial time fuse placed on the roadside
Mayor supports Social Welfare’s legal adoption advocacy
DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio vowed to support the advocacy on legal adoption being spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Davao Region.
Duterte-Carpio declared her intention to become a supporter of DSWD's campaign in providing good life to abandoned children through legal adoption.
The mayor said in her message during an adoption forum on Friday that she is an adoptive mother herself.
She called on the public to understand and be open-minded to legal adoption, urging people to grab any opportunity of adopting a child.
Farmer slain for P500 debt
DAVAO DEL SUR -- A P500 debt caused the life of a farmer on Sunday afternoon.
The victim is identified as Lidas Lipong, 60, a resident sitio Datu Danwata, Malita, was hacked to death by Cavelino Mallada, 25, also a resident in the area.
According to Malita Police Station chief Chief Inspector Samsong Kimayong, the incident occurred around 1:45 p.m. when the suspect went to the house of the victim to collect the money.
Instead of paying, the victim grabbed a bolo and tried to hack the suspect, resulting to a scuffle.
City plans to buy dredging machine
THE City Government is set to purchase a dredging machine to address the possible flooding in areas near the riverbanks.
The dredging machine is used to scoop up mud, gravel and other obstructions from the bottom of rivers and waterways.
According to Andrew Lipardo of the City Engineer's Office (CEO), they have submitted a proposal for the dredging machine and are awaiting the results.
