PALO, Leyte, Philippines – Selling this town worldwide is the primary objective of the Christmas festival named Enchanting Palo, launched by the local government unit (LGU) recently.

The festival is also a photo competition, with participating photographers asked to take pictures portraying the many other ongoing contests such as the Belen, Parol, Sta. Claus, and Street Lighting contests going on now in this historic Leyte town.

Also, the Enchanting Palo competition is open to anyone who may shoot a portrait of himself or herself using for background any of the Christmas activities going on now in Palo.

Such pictures will then be posted on Facebook to be shared so that the whole world can get an idea about the goings-on in Palo, Leyte.

Anyone can join the contest, but in order to do so, one must come to Palo and visit, and take a picture of himself or herself along with any ongoing Christmas activity in the town, then post their entry pictures on Facebook to show to friends who, hopefully will also share the pictures with other friends in the social network. Palo Mayor Remedios Petilla said they hope to perk up local tourism by perking up people’s curiosity about Palo.

When people start talking about Palo, the more people will know about us and we hope they could come over and see for themselves what a beautiful place we have,” she said. (Jack C. Gadaingan)

TASK FORCE BAKHAW SCORES

ILOILO CITY, Iloilo, Philippines – Nine people were arrested in a raid of a drug den in Bakhaw village, Mandurriao town, Iloilo City. Supt. Leo Batiles, Chair of Task Force Bakhaw, disclosed that eight drug users were apprehended in the house of 65-year-old Melinda Mena past 1 a.m. last Wednesday.

Batiles said they took advantage of the simultaneous Christmas party of the Police Regional Office (PRO-6) Tuesday night as many of the police officers under the task force were in Camp Martin Delgado.

While less were deployed to conduct checkpoints in the seven entry-exit points in the village Tuesday night, Batiles said they were able to conduct a raid quickly after receiving tips that suspicious vehicles have been coming in and out of the area. Along with four police officers who remained on-duty, Batiles went to the alleged drug den in the village.

Jennifer de Asis, John Palomar, Christina Ramelo, Glydel De Lara, Aliborn Hinola, Arnel Asero, Gilberto Habao Sr., and Rey Demabeldo are facing charges for violation of Section 7 (Visiting a Drug Den) of R.A. 9165 or otherwise known as Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.

On the other hand, house owner Mena is also facing charges for violating Section 6 (Maintenance of a Drug Den). (Tara Yap)

FIRM OFFERS TO AVERT WATER SHORTAGE

CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines (PNA) – The Metropolitan Cebu Water District (MCWD) is offering to operate and maintain the deep wells at the Asiatown IT Park so it can closely monitor extraction and quality of water and help avert a water shortage in the area.

Managing the deep wells owned and operated by Cebu Property Ventures and Development Corp. (CPVDC) will also allow the MCWD to control water extraction and prevent over extraction that could affect the quality of water supplied to commercial centers, residential buildings and business process outsourcing (BPOs) firms there.

MCWD General Manager Armando Paredes said they also plan to talk to operators of other private wells in the city and if possible propose that they manage their water needs.

”By doing so, we will be able to control better water extraction as right now, we are not capable of monitoring private extraction. Managing private wells is one way of ensuring that water extraction is sustainable in the whole service area,” he said.

MCWD can only monitor the extraction and quality of water in wells it owns and operates.

”When the time comes that there is over extraction and water becomes saline, then all of us - not only Cebu Holdings and other private owners, but also MCWD – will have a problem,” Paredes said.

MCWD board member Joel Mari Yu said he had already discussed the matter with Cebu Holdings Inc. (CHI) President Francis Monera and, he said, “they are cooperative and welcomed the opportunity to work with MCWD to ensure that water supply will be sustainable.”