Minors nabbed for drug trafficking

CAMP OLIVAS – Three minors were arrested for drug trafficking during an entrapment operation in Olongapo City over the weekend.

Butil funds irrigation project in Sta. Rita

STA. RITA — The Butil Farmers Party has financed the construction of an irrigation network that will serve northern villages of the town and expected to improve farm yield.

Central Luzon dengue level critical

PAMPANGA -- The Department of Health (DOH) Regional Office here has raised the alert level to critical following the surge of dengue cases in Central Luzon from January to April 16 this year.

In a media forum at Partyland on Monday, DOH Regional Director Rio Magpantay asked for media's help in disseminating information to raise awareness among its partner agencies, as well as heads of local government units.

Mayor orders probe on 'red light district'

ILOILO City Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog ordered a former police official to investigate prostitution in the reported newest "red light district" at Fort San Pedro area.

Mabilog called retired police officer Federico Silvestre to spearhead the investigation and do drastic action to stop the practice of "cabu bathing" as a lewd show in some video bars and suspected red houses along the strip of Fort San Pedro area.

Councilors demand public hearing on city hall new loan

TWO Iloilo City councilors called for another public hearing on the revised plan of the new City Hall by Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog.

City Councilors David Jamora and Jeffrey Ganzon questioned the additional P260-million bank loan of Mabilog from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

Business sector joins product discount program

HARDWARE stores join the weeklong product discount program called the “Labor Day Product Sale” that will run from April 30 to May 5.

The event is organized by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-Iloilo Provincial Office, and now on its 4th year.

Towns with good governance index named

THE National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) recently released the 2008 Good Governance Index (GGI) of municipalities and provinces of Western Visayas showing remarkable improvement of measures in good governance in three years.

The municipality of Malay in Aklan made it to the top among the most improved municipalities in the region for the measured results in 2005-2008.

Anti-measles drive extended until May 13

THE Department of Health (DOH) in Eastern Visayas hopes to immunize at least 95 percent of 800,000 children in the region with anti-measles vaccines before the deadline set by the department.

Official: No objection to oil exploration resolution needed

THE Provincial Board still need to pass a resolution interposing no objection to the conduct of off-shore oil and gas exploration in the Palompon seawaters even if it has already passed a resolution for the conduct of such activity, Board Member Roque Tiu said.

“The DOE (Department of Energy) together with the representatives from the NorAsian had made a presentation to the members of the Provincial Board with regard to the conduct of off-shore exploration in the seawater covered by the municipality of Palompon and Camotes Sea,” said Tiu.

Government to address labor mismatch

THE government finds the need to address labor mismatch in Eastern Visayas with the absence of database that would guide the academe in providing education to satisfy local job market demand.

Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) Regional Director Forter Puguon said that with the unavailability of a list of existing jobs in the region, many students took courses that are not really needed by local-based companies and offices.

Security heightened after bin Laden's death

MANILA (Updated 2:27 p.m.) -- Malacañang told the public on Monday to remain vigilant following the death of terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said the Philippine National Police (PNP) has increased patrols in possible target areas, especially in the premises of United States embassy in Manila.

Al-Qaeda head Osama bin Laden dead

WASHINGTON — Osama bin Laden, the elusive mastermind behind the devastating Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that led the United States into war in Afghanistan and later Iraq, was killed in a firefight, President Barack Obama said Sunday.

Bin Laden's death at a compound in Pakistan ended the world's most widely-watched manhunt, and jubilant crowds gathered outside the White House and at ground zero in New York as word spread late at night.

Country Club workers, management settle labor dispute

NEGOTIATIONS for a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the employees and management of the Baguio Country Club came as a Labor Day gift to its more than 200 union members.

President of the BCC Employees League Ronald Rivera and BCC General Manager Anthony De Leon, both represented the two parties, met in the middle of negotiations at the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) office in Manila last April 27.

Kabayan town celebrates Bendiyan fest

KABAYAN celebrates its "4th Mystical Kabayan Ecotourism and Bendiyan Festival" in a three-day activity starting April 28.

Benguet Representative Ronald Cosalan led the list of guests, which include Department of Tourism-Cordillera Administrative Region (DOT-CAR) Director Purificacion Molintas, Benguet Province Governor Nestor Fongwan, Mayors Oscar Camantiles and Gregorio Abalos of Itogon and La Trinidad, Benguet, respectively.

Villages asked to check strengths, weaknesses

BARANGAYS now have to do their Swot (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis to develop their tourist potentials, said City Tourism Officer Benedicto Alhambra.

The City Government earlier asked barangays to start promoting their tourist destinations after the Department of Tourism reported a decline in tourist arrivals in Baguio City.

University opens home for abused boys

SAINT Louis University (SLU) created a shelter for the neglected and abused boys to address the current need of a home for male victims of all forms of abuse in the region.

Baguio in top 10 BPO destinations

BAGUIO City is in the top ten preferred destinations of those in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry, particularly for call centers.

Baguio was ranked 9th in the new wave cities, or cities where there is a mushrooming of call centers.

Town aquaculture project on

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Livelihood training will start next month for this mining town.

Training on Aquaculture or Fish Cage and Fish Ponds for 30 fisherfolk will start on May 5 and 6 at the Guiweng Barangay Hall in Tinongdan, Itogon.

SSS to condone employers, employees for delinquent loans

THE Social Security System (SSS) is offering condonation program for unremitted or delinquent loan amortizations of employees and employers until June 30.

The condonation program, which started January 3, applies only to penalties on unremitted or delinquent loan amortizations, including principal and interest due on or before April 1, 2010.

Lawmaker wants to hold Banago port project

THIRD district Representative Albee Benitez asked the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to hold the Banago port development project and instead spread out the budget intended for it in his district.

Benitez said Bacolod already has an existing port, the Bredco Port.

Mayor pushes for EB Magalona port rehab

MAYOR David Lacson is pushing for the rehabilitation of the Tuburan port in his town to further boost progress not only for his town but for the sugar industry of the province as well.

About P300 million is needed to rehabilitate Tuburan port, which connects Negros to Panay through Banate port via a 35 to 40 minutes boat ride.

Pasalamat Festival a resounding success

LA CARLOTA City’s celebration of its 32nd Pasalamat Festival was a resounding success, as the people were brought to another level of outstanding entertainment that showcased local talents and beauties.

Mayor Juliet Marie Ferrer and Negros Occidental fourth district Representative Jeffrey P. Ferrer, along with the members of the City Council, succeeded in making this year’s festival a great success again.

Workers rally on Labor Day

THOUSANDS of workers staged their rally Sunday in front of Old Bacolod City Hall at the downtown area, in line with the Labor Day celebration.

Cordova wins Ceneco polls

FORMER Ceneco Union of Rationale Employee (Cure) president Roy Cordova won the post for the representation of District IV to the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) Board of Directors in a hotly contested election last Saturday over incumbent Ceneco president Edward Gasambelo.

Cheryl Tortal, Public Relations Officer of Ceneco, disclosed that Cordova garnered 3,380 votes while Gasambelo got 2,663 for a margin of 717 votes.

Lawmaker readies draft for probe on fuel price disparity

THIRD district Representative Albee Benitez said he is now ready with the draft of a resolution that will call for an investigation into the approximately P5 per liter fuel price disparity in the province compared to Metro Manila.

Benitez will present the resolution to the House of Representatives when it resumes session on May 9.

Promotion of hospital patients’ rights pushed

BACOLOD City Councilor Archie Baribar proposed an ordinance that will require all hospitals and similar medical clinics and institutions to post a copy of R.A. No. 9439.

It is an Act prohibiting the detention of patients in hospital and medical clinics on grounds of non-payment of hospital bills or medical expenses.

Organized workers ask for wage increase, better job security

AN estimated 5,000 workers from different organizations joined a Labor Day rally in Cebu City and asked government agencies to help them gain a decent living wage.

For starters, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) should monitor prices of basic goods and consider these in discussing wage increase proposals at the regional wage board, said the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP).

Central Visayas applicants compete for 15,000 jobs at stake in Labor Day fair

RODERICK Bandiala read the classified ads section of a local newspaper while standing in a long line of jobseekers inside a mall in Cebu City yesterday.

Jobless for almost a year, the 29-year-old education graduate tried his luck in a job fair organized by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) 7 in time for Labor Day.

SK leaders’ Baguio trip gains Mike’s support

CEBU City Mayor Michael Rama defended yesterday the Sangguniang Kabataan Federation (SKF) members and officers’ decision to join a camp in Baguio City.

At least 30 SK officials from the city are attending the five-day Youth for Environment Summer (Yes) camp that started yesterday.

Trash segregation policy still needs work: mayor

A MONTH after the Cebu City Government began strictly implementing the “no segregation, no collection” of trash policy, Mayor Michael Rama said yesterday there’s still more to do.

The mayor said, though, the system has been improving.