Naga City, Albay – Some 300 Army soldiers trooped to Naga City’s Bicol River during the weekend to spearhead the clean-up drive in preparation for the 300th year celebration of the annual Peñafrancia fluvial festival. Lt. Col. Erwin De Asis, the 9th Infantry Division’s Civilian-Military Operations (CMO) officer, said instead of rifles and machineguns, the soldiers carried with them bolos and rakes to clear the two-kilometer river. “It is our commitment to throw our full support behind the organizers of the Peñafrancia festival for the various preparations prior to the fluvial parade along this river stretch,” said De Asis, adding the soldiers cleared the river of floating debris, garbage, and shrubs starting from Barangay Tabuco up to Barangay Balatas where the Basilica is located. He said the soldiers were in high-spirits as they carried out the day-long clearing operations. Lt. Col. Epimaco Macalisang, the ground commander during the activity, was very proud for his group’s humble contribution. “I am from Mindanao but it is my honor to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime big celebration marking the 300th year of the Peñafrancia Festival,” said Macalisang. (Elena Aben)

SANTIAGO CONDUCTS A(H1N1) MONITORING

SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela – Employees of the City Health Office (CHO) here intensified its anti-A(H1N1) monitoring in all schools within its 30 villages while initiating free vaccinations and information campaigns. This developed after eight students here were confirmed infected with the dreaded A(H1N1) virus. Assistant Health Officer Edgar Romanchito Bayang said the strengthened drive was realized when 112 influenza-like illnesses with eight confirmed A(H1N1) cases were recorded in the city from January to August this year. To control the possible spread of the A(H1N1) virus, the CHO reported that at least 4,000 villagers, mostly students, elderly, barangay workers, and school teachers were vaccinated in a series of village visits last week. According to Bayang, the CHO is imposing the isolation of those A(H1N1) virus-affected students at home and temporary suspension of classes in the affected schools to control the spread of the disease. Aside from the information drive, he said that infection control teams will clean and disinfect all affected rooms. (Freddie Lazaro)

Cavite cops hike anti-crime drive

IMUS, Cavite – Police have installed checkpoints and conducted operations on weekends in the populous towns of Bacoor and Imus, and Dasmariñas City to crackdown on loose firearms, drug trafficking, and roaming criminals. “We have intensified our operations in the areas during the crime-prone days which are Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays,” said Senior Supt. Danilo L. Maligalig, Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO) director. Maligalig said police teams have been formed for the checkpoints and patrol operations after citing how a number of villages in the adjoining towns and city have registered a high incidence of crime. Supt. Edgar B. Roquero, PPO deputy director for operations, said that crime incidents in Cavite have increased by more than 100 percent from May to August 2010 as compared to the same period last year. Shooting incidents, and holdups and robberies are prevalent in Cavite, particularly in Dasmariñas, Bacoor, and Imus, said Roquero, citing police records. Dasmariñas is the most populated area in Cavite. While Bacoor is the province’s gateway from Manila and Imus, the capital. The city and two towns were reconstituted as a lone congressional district only last December. (Anthony Giron)