ALIAGA, Nueva Ecija (PNA) – A farmer in Nueva Ecija received an “unexpected Christmas gift.”

The bonus that gave immeasurable happiness to the family of farmer Albert Dorone, 32, of Barangay Bicilat here, came from his four-year-old Bulgarian buffalo, which delivered twin healthy calves on Wednesday.

“Napakagandang Pamasko nito sa amin (This is a best Christmas gift for us),” said Dorone who tills a parcel of land owned by his father-in-law, also ni Barangay Bibiclat, adding that he plans to sell the calves after two years.

He said he and his wife had agreed to use the money for the repair of their house. With two children, they are living in an extended fixture of his parents-in-law.

Dorone left the animal under the tree in the field on Tuesday night because he expects that it would deliver at any given time.

Most farmers here use Bulgarian buffalo, one of the breeds being propagated and promoted by the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) under its national water buffalo genetic improvement program (NWBGIP) in the Science City of Munoz.

The breed is identified as potential dairy animal, according to PCC. But Dorone said his animal was naturally sired by another buffalo owned by a relative.

Laguna gov't aids local police force
STA. CRUZ, Laguna – The provincial government of Laguna under the leadership of Gov. E.R. Ejercito turned over to the Laguna Police Provincial Police Office (PPO) some P.6 million worth of computer sets and 1,600 sacks of rice in time for the celebration of the Yuletide season.

Police Senior Superintendent Gilberto Cruz, Laguna PPO director, said they received at least 12 units of HP computers as part of the governor’s developmental project for the Laguna police.

He added that the 1,600 sacks of rice will be given to each Laguna Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel.

As this developed, the Laguna PNP command lauded the effort of the provincial government under Ejercito for the support they have been receiving. (Ferdinand Castro)

L.T.O Bataan steps up drive vs 'kotong'
PILAR, Bataan – Gone are the days when “kotong” (extortionist) personnel of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) were sprouting along the highways after the LTO chief “wiped out” these alleged “highway extortionists” in Bataan.

This was learned from Manny “Bong” Da Jose, chief of the LTO’s registration division here, who said that eradicating this (kotong raket) was his first priority right after assuming the top post at the LTO here.

An LLB graduate, Da Jose was also the architect for the exemption of payment of tax clearance being used to be shouldered by tricycle drivers and operators in the previous years.

Da Jose said that he used an extra effort for the drivers and operators to be exempted from what he called additional burden of the low-income drivers.

Da Jose, who worked at his office up to 8 p.m., was also lauded for initiating a zero backlog in renewing registrations for motor vehicles, saying “We are just doing our job, that is to serve the public.” He said that the legalization of at least 1,000 colorum vehicles in Bataan, ranging from motorcycles, and passenger jeepneys, among others, gave the national government additional income, saying this was a “win-win” solution since the government benefited and at the same time “these once illegal vehicles had been legalized.” (Mar Supnad)