CITY OF MALOLOS, Bulacan – Top local officials in the province will convene Sunday to lead Bulakenyos in the commemoration of the 112th founding anniversary of the first Republic of the Philippines at the historic church of Barasoain.

The program will kick-off at 6 a.m. with a civic and military parade from Malolos Central School leading  to Barasoain Church followed by a flag- raising ceremony and wreath-laying at the monument of Gen. Emilio
Aguinaldo.

The first republic was established on Jan. 23, 1899 coinciding with the induction of Gen. Aguinaldo as  its first president. Two days later, the Malolos Congress was constituted on Jan. 21, 1899. (Freddie C. Velez)

D.T.I. supports sale of catfish
LUCENA CITY, Quezon – The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Quezon led the launching of the
pangasius, a kind of catfish, recently at the Lucena City Public Market and at the SM Lucena.

Marcelina  Alcantara, DTI-Quezon, said that the pangasius was launched at the Lucena Public Market so that people would  know the fish is now available in public markets.

Due to its good potentials, the DTI promotes pangasius raising as  a profitable business for entrepreneurs and a source of livelihood for farmers. (Charlie S. Dajao, DTI4A/PIA)

Abra farmers win awards
BANGUED, Abra – The farmers of Abra stood out in the regional and national levels of the search for Outstanding Farmers of the Year 2010.

Provincial Agriculturist Jesus Villamor Jr. said yesterday that four awards were given to  Abrenian individual farmers and groups for their outstanding performance in production as well as marketing  initiatives and efforts.

The individual farmer-awardees are Mr. Efren T. Millare of Barangay Baug, San Juan and the  PAMORA Farms, Inc. of Barangay Garreta, Pidigan. The Department of Agriculture — Cordillera Administrative  Regional Field Unit (DA-CARFU) gave the awards to the regional winners last Dec. 23, 2010. (Dexter A. See)

B.S.P: Use coins
DAGUPAN CITY – The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has urged the public to bring out their coins and use them.

BSP Deputy Director for Dagupan Beta Cervantes said the problem on lack of coins would slowly ease out  as the BSP is poised to issue an ample amount of coins this year.

Cervantes said the circulation of the coins  stops at a certain level as these are kept in piggy banks and in church donation boxes. (PIA-Pangasinan)

44 Cordillerans join P.D.E.A. Force
BAGUIO CITY – Forty-four among the fifth batch of recruits of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Academy are from the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

PDEA said over the weekend that the figure  represents 21 percent of the 206 PDEA recruits that will undergo training in Silang, Cavite beginning Monday, January 24.

With CAR topping the number of PDEA recruits – 31 male and 13 female – the National Capital  Region comes in second with 39 recruits followed by the Bicol Region with 18.

They all took their oaths as the new  agents of the country’s agency cracking down on illegal drug syndicates last December 30. (PIA-CAR)