The Cavite Police Provincial Office (PPO) has formed a task force that will oversee proper decorum of its men and women, particularly in wearing uniforms, in police stations under its jurisdiction. Senior Superintendent Danilo L. Maligalig, PPO director, said that the group created will also be tasked to monitor and act on individuals who manufacture and sell police uniforms to unauthorized persons. Dubbed as “Task Force Bantay-Bihis,” Maligalig said that the group will be led by the PPO Internal Affairs Service (IAS) Unit, some staff officers and police chiefs of the province’s four cities and 19 towns. “Oplan Bantay-Bihis” (uniform watch) is contained in a memorandum for police personnel to wear clean and ironed uniforms and speak courteously and act diligently when dealing with the public. Maligalig said police officers who would violate the order would be “called for explanation and dealt with accordingly.” (Anthony Giron)

BULACAN GIVES OUT COOP LOANS

MALOLOS CITY – Nine cooperatives in Bulacan through its Negoskoop Financing Program were granted financial assistance in the form of loans worth P875,000 from the provincial government of Bulacan recently. The beneficiaries were San Isidro Kilusang Bayan MPC for their Water Refilling Station; Kapit Bisig sa Pag-unlad MPC and PASCHAL MPC for their Consumer Store; Samahang Kapatirang Kababaihan ng Pulilan MPC for their Ukay-ukay Trading; and Kooperatiba ng Pangmalawakang Paglilingkod ng Bayabas MPC, Balikatang Pamayanan ng Inaon MPC, Biclat Agrarian Reform MPC, CASECHCOM MPC and San Francisco MPC for their Rice Trading. Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy-Alvarado said these cooperatives underwent a rigorous process of evaluation before they qualified to receive the loans, which is expected to boost their operations and their contribution to the local economy. (Freddie C. Velez)

MARKET VENDORS GET FREE C.F.L.

BAGUIO CITY – Hundreds of market vendors in this mountain resort city got an early Christmas gift when they received free compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) from Philips Electronics and Lighting recently. The distribution of 834 CFLs to market vendors is part of Philips’ Bright Idea Project, a full-scale campaign to light up public places around the country via energy efficient light bulbs. Rico Gonzales, chief executive officer of Philips Electronics and Lighting, said the distribution of 24-watt tornado light bulbs is part of the company’s commitment help government promote the use of energy-saving lighting system to help in the green energy campaign. (Dexter A. See)

H.R.E.T. SETS POLL PROBE

The House of Representatives Electoral Tribunal (HRET) will start hearing the electoral protest filed by congressional candidate Maria Angela “Gila” Garcia in the 1st District of Bataan on October 26, a member of Congress reportedly told Garcia over the weekend. In her eight-page protest before the HRET, Garcia questioned ballots returned from the five towns – Dinalupihan, Hermosa, Orani, Samal, and Abucay. Re-electionist Rep. Herminia Roman won the automated elections last May with 80,400 votes over Garcia who garnered 76,428 votes. But Garcia is contending that the results had been manipulated allegedly by IT technicians conniving with certain unscrupulous individuals and witnessed by several individuals who have executed their testimonies. (Mar T. Supnad)