Troops kill 3 NPA rebels, capture female fighter


ZAMBOANGA CITY: Government troops killed three communist rebels and captured a wounded female fighter following a clash on Tuesday in the southern Philippines, officials said. Officials said the fighting broke out in the village of Pasian in Compostela Valley’s Monkayo town after troops ran into a group of New People’s Army (NPA) rebels. Soldiers also recovered seven auto-


matic weapons and two improvised explosives left behind by rebels, said Army Lt. Col. Medel Aguilar, a spokes- man for the 10th Infantry Division. “An encounter between soldiers from the 25th Infantry Battalion un- der and NPAs resulted to the recovery of five M16 rifles, one Garand rifle, one Carbine, two improvised explosive de- vices and NPA documents,” Aguilar said, adding, the fighting lasted more than 20 minutes. He said the wounded rebel, Lea


Palma Gil alias Ka Tanya, was evacu- ated to a military hospital in Davao City for medical treatment, but she is likely to be interrogated later about the local activities of the NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines which is currently nego- tiating peace with Manila. Last week, rebel forces killed five soldiers and wounded at least 10 more in fierce fighting in the village of Paloc in Maragusan town also in Compostela Valley province, a known stronghold of communist fighters in Mindanao. President Benigno Aquino 3rd has reopened collapsed peace talks with the rebels in an effort to end bloody secessionist war in the Philippines. Negotiations broke down in 2004 af- ter rebel leaders accused then Presi- dent Gloria Arroyo of reneging on sev- eral accords, among them the release of political prisoners. AL JACINTO


Bulacan to purchase ‘anti-botcha’ machine


MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan: The provincial gov- ernment of Bulacan is set to acquire new equipment that could detect livestock related diseases in the province. This is expected to help protect and boost the local swine industry in Bula- can that recently saw news prominences because of the apprehensions of several individuals involved in the trading of “double dead” carcasses of swines. Sixty percent of Metro Manila’s pork requirement is being supplied by hog raisers from Bulacan. Bulacan, together with Pampanga,


Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Batangas, Laguna and Rizal are the provinces that were identified as the primary source of where double dead meat or “botcha” are coming from. Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado of Bulacan said this concern would be among the issues to be discussed at the swine stakeholders’ meeting to- day at the Hiyas Pavilion in this City. “We hope to procure sophisticated equipment to immediately address the livestock and even poultry related diseases so we do not have to consume much time in bringing the specimens abroad for


laboratory tests,” Alvarado said. The governor added that the time


interval from detection of diseases and testing of specimens often takes a while compromising the image and interest of swine and poultry indus- try in the province.


Expected to attend the meeting are representatives from Hog Raisers Asso- ciation, meat inspectors, market masters, slaughter house supervisors, mayors and chief of police from the 21 municipali- ties and three cities of the province. Besides investing on equipment,


the governor said, the meeting will also deal on the issue of hot meat or “botcha” in the different public mar- kets not only in the province but also in the national capital region. “We will discuss the matter with lo- cal hog raisers and other stakeholders on Wednesday because we are duty bound to protect the industry and con- sumers alike,” Alvarado said. The governor also stressed that “We must ensure that all pork coming from Bulacan and being distributed in the Metro Manila area are safe, otherwise, our local hog raisers will suffer.” RAADEE S. SAUSA


theregions A The Manila Times WEDNESDAY December 8, 2010 7


Aquino inaugurates P9-M typhoon-resistant shelters


BY DUNHILL JESTER DE RAMOS SPECIAL TO THE MANILA TIMES


Sitio Olanen, Barangay Dacap Sur, Pangasinan.


P


Through the collaborative efforts of the local government of Bani, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the rep- resentatives of the United Nation World Food Programme (UNWFP), the P9.10-million Olanen Housing Project was established at the hill- side of Barangay Dacap Sur, over- looking the South China Sea. The core shelter amounting to P75,000 a unit would be given to about 130 family-victims of Typhoon


Emong and Pepeng in May 2009. President Aquino said that the project is a symbol of modern bayanihan (cooperation) to bring economic recovery to communities hit by calamities.


The President also requested the beneficiaries to assist the govern- ment in upgrading the project to alleviate their living conditions. The Philippine News Agency quoted Mayor Marcelo Navarro Jr. of Bani saying that the project was named


RESIDENT Benigno Aquino 3rd inaugurated on Tuesday the first typhoon-resistant core shelters in


“Burubor ti Ayat” (Spring of Love) be- cause it was put up through labor of love and the combined efforts of the Social Welfare department, the munici- pal government and the UNWFP, in- cluding the beneficiaries themselves. Navarro said the department, through Regional Director Leonardo Reinoso, provided P7 million that was used in buying the needed con- struction materials while the mu- nicipal government provided the five-hectare lot for the project. Navarro, a retired police general and a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1972, lent a hand in supervising the project. At the same time, the UNFPW


made available 14,000 sacks of rice worth P2.8 million that were given to workers as payment in kind for their efforts, pegged at P10 kilos for every eight hours of work.


The beneficiaries of the project were mostly fishermen whose houses were located along the shoreline of Sitio Olanen. These families lived in tents donated by charitable institutions abroad for months along the shore of Sitio Olanen while the Core Shelter Project was still under construction. The workers were harnessed not only to build the houses but also to work on the project’s storm drain- age, slope protection, rip-rapping and other construction works. During the inauguration of the project, two of the cooperative leaders were given with checks to establish a consumer store and food processing livelihood project for the victims. At present, there are four core shel- ters that have been constructed in Re- gion I, particularly in Bani, Rosales and Santa Barbara, all in Pangasinan in- cluding one in Laoag City, Ilocos Norte.


Calabarzon police enhance security coverage on Yuletide


CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna: Calabarzon police director, chief Supt. Samuel Pagdilao Jr. said that it is all-sys- tems go for the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the entire South- ern Tagalog region for the imple- mentation of intensified and well- coordinated security plan during Yuletide season. Pagdilao directed all provincial di- rectors and cities and municipal po- lice chiefs to supervise the imple- mentation of the PNP’s public safety and security operations in Southern Tagalog to prevent criminal activities. Pagdilao also ordered his com- manders assist the general public


House clears Abreco of irregularities


BANGUED, Abra: The Lower House committee on Cooperative Development has already cleared the Abra Electric Cooperative (Abreco) of al- leged irregularities.


Abra Electric Cooperative Board of Directors headed by their President David Guzman ex- plained to Rep. Jose Ping-ay, House committee chairman and other congressmen during a Con- gressional investigation that Abreco have been above-board in all its actions at the heels of complaints it has not been conducting general assemblies, its officials have been appointed ir- regularly, among others. It will be recalled that Rep. Joy Bernos of Abra in House Resolution 423 asked the House to probe Abreco over controversies in the manage- ment of the electric cooperative. Bernos had questioned that Abreco has not been holding its general membership assemblies for three years, hence its board of directors and its gen- eral manager had been holding on to their po- sitions illegally.


But Abreco General Manager Loreto Seares


Jr., maintains there was no general assemblies called in the past three years because the coop- erative is on a transition period towards regis- tering itself at the Cooperative Development


regionsinbrief


CARMONA HOLDS 4TH MEGA JOB FAIR CARMONA, Cavite: The local government of Carmona will hold its fourth Mega Job Fair on Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Carmona Town Plaza. Local and overseas jobs offered by more than 30 companies and manpower agencies will be available to jobseekers who would attend the said event. Aside from the regular quarterly job fairs, the local government also holds weekly local recruitment and special recruitment activities such as the recently concluded call center hiring. The job fair is part of the commitment of Mayor Dahlia Loyola of Carmona to alleviate poverty through providing decent jobs for the citizens.


CAVITE PROVINCIAL BOARD ELECTS NEW MAJORITY LEADER TRECE MARTIRES CITY, Cavite: The Cavite Sangguniang Panglalawigan led by Vice Gov. and Presiding Officer Recto Cantimbuhan has elected first district board member and senior board member Dino Carlo Reyes-Chua as the new Sangguniang Panlalawigan Majority Floor Leader replacing outgoing Association of Barangay Captains Provincial Federation President Cecille Miranda.


ESTREGAN LAUNCHES SAN PEDRO METHANE POWER PLANT GOV. Jeorge “ER” Ejercito Estregan of Laguna leads the inauguration of the San Pedro Methane Power Plant along Narra Road in Barangay San Antonio, San Pedro, Laguna. The P796.28-million Mega Power Plant will boost Laguna’s economy and will open job opportunities to thousands of Laguneños. This environment friendly project is a component of Laguna Lake Rehabilitation Program to address the pressing issue of global warming and the alarming dangers of climate change.


PHILIPS LIGHTS UP BAGUIO CITY HALL BAGUIO CITY: Just in time for the Season of Lights. Mayor Mauricio Domogan and Rep. Bernardo Vergara on December 2 flipped the ceremonial switch, which lit up the Baguio City Hall like, as a taxi driver commented—The White House. Together with industry giant Philips Electronics and Lighting Inc., the city government decided to go green and at the same time highlight one of the more significant landmarks of Baguio—the Baguio City Hall.


THOM F. PICAÑA


12 CANDIDATES VIE FOR MISS ILOILO DINAGYANG 2011 CROWN ILOILO CITY: Twelve pretty candidates representing schools in this city will vie for the Miss Iloilo Dinagyang 2011 title as a major highlight of the Dinagyang Festival 2011 in January next year. This was revealed by Sarah Peña of SPPR Reel Productions, franchise holder of Miss Dinagyang 2011. Peña said the candidates are Gretchen Grandest of the University of San Agustin, Sunshine de Guzman of AMA Computer College, Sigrid Grace Flores of the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV), Rain Catnapping of Riverview Adventist Academy, Krishna Lei Dingo of the West Visayas State University (WVSU), Sofia Lyn Ochoa of College de San Jose, Kchyrziahchayne Dynelle Dinopol of UPV, Nadaine Broñola of Central Philippine University, Leonor Faunillo of USA, Samantha Marie Amparo of WVSU and Zyra Grace Vedad of WVSU. The coronation pageant of Miss Dinagyang 2011 will be on January 18, 2011 with pageant host, actor Derek Ramsey. The grand winner will win a trip for two at Thailand as the city’s ambassadress of goodwill aside from many prizes.


Authority (CDA) from its old National Electri- fication Administrion registration. From March 2007, Seares said, CDA gave them two years to prepare requirements in its registration including fixing of its by-laws. Earlier, it was found out that Abreco’s by-laws has failed to include standard requirements in choosing candidates for the cooperative’s gen- eral manager.


Abreco also said that after CDA gave them another year to finalize all requirements, a gen- eral assembly planned in March this year was rescheduled to March in 2011 because of the new Cooperative Code of 2009 that again changed the requirements for cooperative registrations. Seares vows in the 2011 general assembly of the cooperative, proposed amendments in their by-laws will be ratified which would be the ba- sis in choosing the new set of board of direc- tors and the general manager. He maintains, however, that the general as- sembly will not be held not because of the House inquiry but it is really scheduled as man- dated by the CDA.


Satisfied with their explanations, Ping-ay asked the CDA to regularly monitor Abreco and the upcoming general assembly. THOM F. PICAÑA


during the upsurge of commuters, motorists and travelers to prevent road congestion, accidents, robbery and other street crimes—especially along routes leading to churches and other places of convergence. Pagdilao ordered all PCR officers to secure all public transport termi- nals and other similar places of con- vergence in their respective areas. He urged the public who will be


traveling to their respective prov- inces to ensure that the door and windows of their houses are locked to prevent burglary, and to see to it that all electrical appliances are plugged out to prevent the occur-


rence of fires while they are out of town during the holiday season. In case of emergency and other


worse case scenarios, Pagdilao re- minded the public to report the same to the PNP Patrol 117 hotline or TXT PNP 2920 for immediate response. He also directed his commanders to put-up more checkpoints and chokepoints in line with Calabarzon PNP’s intensified checkpoint opera- tions in addressing motorcycle-riding criminals, reduce street crime and other crime incidents at the onset of the holiday season. According to Pagdilao they will carry out necessary provisions for


emergency and medical response tied up with other agencies to en- sure maximum efficiency of the public security and safety plan. Pagdilao also ordered the deploy- ment of more policemen in all trans- port terminals, while intelligence op- eratives will check the activities of the threat groups and prevent them from carrying-out destabilization acts. He also directed his commander to closely coordinate with mall man- agers and security personnel of other business establishments where peo- ple are expected to converge for the Christmas season activities. ROSELLE R. AQUINO


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