BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Local residents and tourists are now enjoying the chilly mornings in this mountain resort city following the continuous drop of the prevailing temperature in the country’s Summer Capital.

For the first four days of the year, the city experienced drops in temperature, with the lowest, 9.8-degree Celsius, recorded at around 5 a.m. Tuesday morning by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) This was 0.2 degrees Celsius lower than the 10 degrees Celsius recorded on Monday morning.

During New Year’s Day, the coldest temperature was 12.8 degrees Celsius before it registered at 11 degrees Celsius on January 2, 2011.

The lowest temperature recorded in the city was 6.3 degrees Celsius which was registered by PAGASA on January 18, 1961 while the fifth lowest temperature was recorded by the weather bureau on January 15, 2009 which was at 7.5 degrees Celsius.

After dropping during the early mornings, the city temperature warms during the day with the warmest recorded from 21 to 24 degrees Celsius before it again drops during the late afternoon and early evenings between 17 to 20 degrees Celsius. (Dexter See)

MAGNITUDE 3.2 QUAKE HITS LUZON

SINAIT, Ilocos Sur, Philippines — A tectonic mild quake with magnitude 3.2 hit Northern Luzon early morning Tuesday, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) satellite office based here.

Porferio de Peralta Jr., Phivolcs – Sinait officer-in-charge, said the earthquake occurred at about 6:19 a.m. Tuesday with its epicenter located at 51 kilometers northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte with a depth of 4 kilometers.

De Peralta said earthquake was felt at intensity 2 in Laoag City and Pasuquin town.

He said that there was no reported damage after the quake, which was tectonic in origin. Last Monday, two earthquakes were recorded, one near Vigan City and the other in Batanes province.

A magnitude 4.1 earthquake was recorded at about 7:31 a.m. Monday with its epicenter located at 62 kilometers southwest of Vigan City with a depth of three kilometres.

A magnitude 2.8 quake was recorded 6:21 a.m. of Monday with its epicenter at 72 kilometers southwest of Basco town with a depth of 69 kilometers. (Freddie G .Lazaro)

APAYAO SCHOOL BRIGADA ESKWELA REGIONAL AWARDEE

PUDTOL, APAYAO, Philippines — The Pudtol Vocational High School (PVHS) topped the secondary division of the 2010 Brigada Eskwela Regional Award given by the Department of Education (DepEd).

Orlando Gamatero , a member of the PVHS faculty, said school principal Benedicta Gamatero received the award during ceremonies held at the Department of Education Cordillera Regional Office in Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet.

Gamatero said PVHS was adjudged winner this year because of its initiative in drawing involvement of the Pudtol community in various school programs and projects.

Before the start of classes last June, the school led voluntary works in the repair of dilapidated facilities like chairs, tables, blackboards and the rehabilitation and painting of the school building through the Brigada Eskwela program. Because of the PVHS’ initiative, all school repair and rehabilitation work was done at no cost to the school.

PVHS has a three-hectare campus which is maintained by its Brigada Eskwela team. It has 15 faculty members and 420 students. (Dexter See)