BAGUIO CITY – Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Jojit Jimenez Veraque’s relatives in this mountain resort city are urging concerned government agencies to help him return home after being jailed in the Middle East for allegedly stealing chocolate candies. Based on the report of the city’s public employment services office (PESO), Veraque was arrested for taking chocolates from Chogo Line Saleng Hasaem Badr, where he used to work. Veraque lost his job and was charged by his employer. The city government has also appealed the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA), the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Philippine Embassy in the Middle East to work for the immediate repatriation of Veraque so that he could join his family after having completed his contract with the company. (Dexter A. See)

Caravan of Hope circles Cavite

All concerned agencies in Cavite united yesterday in calling for honest, orderly and peaceful elections or HOPE. Dubbed as Caravan for HOPE 2010, officials from the Cavite Department of Justice (DoJ), the Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Department of Education (DepEd), the Provincial Police Office (PPO), the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) went around the province in cars, trucks and vehicles to show their solidarity for HOPE. The caravan, led by Provincial Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco and Senior Superintendent Primitivo T. Tabujara Jr., PPO acting director, passed by crowded towns and cities to call for HOPE and check the activities in some polling precincts on Election Day. “We are calling for HOPE in a simple way,” said Velasco, a former news reporter, as he and the other officials went around the areas under the scorching heat of the sun. The caravan started at CPPO at Camp General Pantaleon Garcia in Imus town past 10 a.m. and was still going around the province with 1,655,015 registered voters as of press time yesterday afternoon. (Anthony Giron)

DoE picks summer capital for PEEP

BAGUIO CITY – The Department of Energy (DoE) has chosen this summer capital of the Philippines as one of the pilot areas in the country for a grant of the Philippine Energy Efficient Project (PEEP) that will result to cost-saving and improved lighting at the Burnham Park, the city’s premier tourist destination. This was formalized with the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between city officials and Undersecretary Loreta Ayson of the DoE so that the park will have sufficient lighting to ensure the safety of promenaders and park goers at nighttime. Under the agreement, DoE will provide the project funds in the amount of P3 million for materials and labor costs as well as facilitate the bidding and awarding of the electrical project to a contractor that will undertake the services of the noble park lighting project. For its part, the city government will assist the electrical contractor tapped by the DoE to install and implement the park lighting system retrofitting within Burnham Park. Furthermore, the local government agreed to provide and report the developments of the park lighting project as well as provide security and regular maintenance so that Burnham Park will be lighted for the benefit of the park goers. PEEP aims to reduce electric consumption courtesy of the compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) as replacement to incandescent bulbs that are frequently busted. (Dexter A. See)