BAGUIO CITY — To ensure the commitment of the public in the uphill climb to bring back the cleanliness and beauty of this mountain resort city, Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan issued an order declaring every morning of the fourth Friday of every month as a citywide cleanup day and enjoining the participation of all sectors to the said endeavour.

Administrative Order (AO) No. 131, Series of 2010, signed by Domogan, aims to instil in the minds of local residents and tourists the importance of sustaining cleanliness in their surroundings to help prevent the outbreak of diseases that pose a serious threat to the life of the people as well as create a negative image of the city due to uncleaned roads, streets and compounds.

Aside from mandating active public participation in efforts to clean the city, the local chief executive directed law enforcers to strictly implement ordinances relative to anti-littering, anti-spitting, anti-truancy, and anti-smoking, among others, so that people will be disciplined in properly disposing their waste. Because of the successful cleanup drive last August 27 where all sectors of the city joined in the half-day activity. (Dexter See)

Backyard poultry raisers air appeal

CABANATUAN CITY — Backyard raisers of poultry chicken in Central Luzon and even in Mindanao are now up in arms over what they called an alleged monopoly by multi-national companies in the distribution of chicken meat in the market.

Eddie Alambra, a small entrepreneur in Central Luzon, disclosed that if the oil sector has the socalled “Big Three” oil companies, they too have in their industry the existence of three companies allegedly controlling the distribution and pricing of chicken and other poultry products.

Alambra said that the major players in the poultry industry is allegedly violating the order of President Aquino for a free and fair competition in the food and beverage industry so that those belonging to the underprivileged sector can have access to it.

Alambra along with several other marginal raisers of poultry chicken appealed to President Aquino and the Department of Agriculture to look into the alleged monopoly in their sector.

He bared that the major players in the poultry industry are allegedly dictating the pricing and volume of chicken meat in market places all over the country. (Ariel Avendaño)

PNP welcomes rebel-returnees

CAMP TOLENTINO, Bataan — Members of the underground movement who want to peacefully surrender are welcome, a top official of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the region said.

Chief Supt. Allan LM Purisima, Central Luzon Region 3 director, however, said that the rebels will still be treated as plain criminals but said that those who want to return to the fold of the law will be welcomed.

Purisima said in a one-on-one interview with this correspondent that those who want to join in the society are always welcome but those who had criminal records should face their criminal charges filed against them in courts since they are also subjected to the law of the country.

Purisima’s statement came in the wake of reported dwindling force of the rebels, particularly in Region 3 where had once been the bailiwick and stronghold of the underground movement.

The latest fierce encounter between the rebels and the government forces occurred last month in Bacong, Hermosa town where two top leaders of the rebels were killed. (Mar Supnad)