IBA, Zambales, Philippines – The provincial government’s plan to overhaul the permitting system for mining and quarrying activities here have yielded an increase of P1.6 million during the first semester of 2010.

During his State of the Province Address (SoPA), Gov. Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said, “Aside from some duplication in mining claims, there were a lot of shortcuts taken to circumvent the law covering the mining industry.”

“As a result of this, revenue from the mining industry has increased by P1.6 million – from the P6.49 million collected during the first semester of 2010, to P8.17 million in the second half of the year,” Ebdane said. (Jonas Reyes)

POLICE SECURES BATANGAS SCHOOL

BATANGAS CITY, Philippines – Police provided security Thursday for the Divine Child Academy School in Barangay 2, this city, to allay fears after a teacher at the school received a bomb threat that turned out to be a hoax.

Supt. Omega Fidel, city chief of police, said classes were temporarily suspended for nearly four hours for a security sweep of the school after Ms. Josepina Delgado said she received a text message from an unknown person at 6:21 a.m. that there was a bomb planted on campus.

The security inspection proved that there was none and classes were conducted normally under tight watch by police. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

CAVITE BOOSTS ANTI-H.I.V. DRIVE

CAVITE, Philippines – Officials in Cavite have chosen Dr. Ma. Vilma V. Diez, provincial public health officer, to lead the task force that will oversee the HIV-AIDS cases and prevention and control program in the province.

The meeting was called following a report from the Department of Health (DoH) that HIV-AIDS cases has increased tremendously in Cavite through the years with the latest number of HIV-afflicted persons at 200 as compared with only 20 in 1987.

The result of the Risk Assessment for HIV Vulnerability (RAV) Survey and the creation of a Council or Task Force that will look into the HIV-AIDS prevention and control program was also discussed in the meeting. (Anthony Giron)

DAGUPAN ASSURES MEAT QUALITY

DAGUPAN CITY, Philippines – The National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) based in this city assured the public Thursday that it has stepped up its monitoring of meat being sold in the markets to block the entry of “botcha” or double-dead meat.

Dr. Cherry Ann Javier, meat control officer, said meat inspection officers of every town and city are doing their jobs of ensuring that only quality meat is sold in the city.

She said that even during the Christmas season when botcha was rampant in markets in Quezon City and Manila, this city did not allow the entry of such. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)

IFUGAO WINS NUTRITION AWARD

LAGAWE, Ifugao, Philippines – The National Nutrition Council (NNC) conferred recently to this world heritage province the Green Banner Award for maintaining its high performance in the implementation of various nutrition programs and projects that cater to the needs of local residents for the second time since 2008.

Ofugao was declared as the 2008 winner of the Search for Green Banner Award conducted nationwide besting 79 other provinces in the country. (Dexter A. See)