STA. ROSA CITY, Laguna — The city government sponsored Monday a mass wedding ceremony at the SM City Event Center as its Valentine’s Day gift to 431 unmarried couples in this city.

Mayor Arlene Arcillas officiated the mass wedding ceremony and advised the newlyweds to be fair to their respective spouses.

She called on them to know their respective obligations and remain faithful to each other so that their relationships would last.

Arcillas served as the ceremony’s primary sponsor. It is an annual project of the lady mayor to facilitate a social aspect of giving stability to families. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

Fathers trained vs child abuse
LAGAWE, Ifugao — With the rising problem on violence against children in the different municipalities in the province, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) conducted the Violence to Children Training Action (VICTA) program recently.

Participated in by 25 officers of the Ifugao Paternal Federation, the activity is aimed at letting participants understand the causes and effects of child abuse; internalize their crucial role in protecting children against abuses; and express commitment to help the prevention of child abuse in their community.

Elena Otgalon of the PSWDO said that children must be particularly protected and guided in the first six years of their life which is crucial for their physical, mental, emotional development. (Dexter A. See)

Mild quake hits Olongapo
SINAIT, Ilocos Sur — A pre-dawn tectonic earthquake with a magnitude of 3.1 hit Central Luzon yesterday but was too weak to be felt or cause any damage to property, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported.

Local Phivolcs Researcher Julius Galdiano said the tremor, with its epicenter at 35 kilometers northwest of Olongapo City and depth of 9 kilometers, happened at 2:45 a.m. (Freddie G. Lazaro)

River blocks to be cleared
DAGUPAN CITY — A river cleanup and clearing project is underway in this city in preparation for seasonal rains that threaten to cause massive flooding, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (PDRRMC) said Monday.

Colonel Paterno Orduña, PDRRMC executive officer, handed over the province’s dredging machine to City Agriculture Officer Emma Molina and Executive Assistant Butch Guttierez last February 9 for the work to be done at the Salapingao River.

The project will also see through the dismantling of obstructions along the waterways of Agno River. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)

300,000 dogs up for rabies shot
MALOLOS CITY (PIA) — Some 300,000 dogs are expected to be given free vaccination this year to stop deaths caused by rabies, Dr. Voltaire Basinang, chief of the Provincial Veterenary Office of Bulacan, said Monday.

Basinang said 19 towns and cities are considered critical and priority areas of the project, particularly the towns of Plaridel, San Rafael, San Miguel,San Ildefonso, Norzagaray, Donya Remedios Trinidad, Marilao, Bocaue, Pulilan, Sta. Maria, Paombong and the cities of Meycauayan, Malolos, and San Jose Del Monte.

Basinang also said that cities and municipalities are considered critical and priority areas for dog vaccination because of the recorded cases of rabies in the past year, where 19 Bulakeños died.