CEBU CITY – Cebuanos will welcome the Chinese New Year with a feasting and fireworks and the traditional tossing ceremony of the Yee Sang salad at the lobby of the Marco Polo Plaza Hotel this Thursday, February 3.

Yee Sang is a fish salad eaten only during the Chinese New Year. The tossing ritual is significant because it "gathers prosperity" for the upcoming year.

Twelve special ingredients are chosen, each signifying a particular zodiac sign, to be used in the salad. The guests are then given a pair of big chopsticks and invited to toss the salad as high as they possibly can. (Mars W. Mosqueda, Jr.)

LGU asked to pay taxable activities
BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occ. – Businesses operated by the Negros provincial government are taxable, said BIR Region 12 Regional Director Araceli Francisco.

Francisco pointed at businesses operated by the provincial government such as the Mambukal Resort in Murcia; its provincial and district hospitals in the whole province; Panaad Park and Stadium; a multi-purpose gym, and the Pala-Pala fish “bagsakan.”

These are all income generating businesses, therefore it is taxable, she said.

Francisco recently met with Gov. Alfredo Maranon, Jr. to discuss the matter.

Marañon opposes the idea and said if Francisco will insist in collecting taxes from the Negros provincial government for such and other businesses, he said he will be forced to elevate the matter to the Supreme Court. (Edith B. Colmo)

607 Iloilo taxis calibrated
ILOILO CITY, Iloilo (PNA) – The Land Transportation Franchising and regulatory Board (LTFRB) has calibrated and sealed 609 taxi units in Iloilo city after their new flag down rate was increased to P40 from the previous P30.

LTFRB’s newly assumed regional director Romulo Bernardes said the flag down rate of taxi units in Iloilo and Bacolod cities have been increased to P40 effective early last week.

Increase of rates require calibration and resealing of taxi meters.

The P40 flag down rate covers the first 500 meters while the charge for the next 300 meters is P3.50.

NSO set for Civil Registration Month
SAN JOSE, Antique, (PIA)– The National Statistics Office (NSO) is preparing for the Civil Registration Month this February. Proclamation No. 682 issued by then President Corazon C. Aquino on January 28, 1991 declared February as National Civil Registration Month.

The theme of this year’s celebration, “Quality Civil Registration in support of National Development Goals” underscores the importance of accurate and timely registration of vital events as these can be the bases for formulating national development plans, according to Jesus Escote, Jr. Provincial Statistics Officer, National Statistics Office.

Peacekeepers to be reactivated
ROXAS CITY, Capiz (PIA) – Local officials want to strengthen barangay peace volunteers in the city’s 47 villages.

Vice-Mayor Ronnie Dadivas, who heads the Peace and Order Council meetings, said there is need for the organization and strengthening of barangay tanods as augmentation support for the city’s law enforcement officers.