CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Officials of the Department of Agriculture Wednesday assured the distribution this week to the country’s carabao-based dairy industry by awarding ten Central Luzon-based cooperatives with certificates of entrustment benefitting 204 farmers with dairy breed buffalos.

Secretary Proceso J. Alcala in a turn-over ceremony held at Tayabo, San Jose City, Alcala awarded the dairy buffalo modules to farmers’ cooperatives from the towns of Talavera, General Natividad, Aliaga, Llanera, Lupao, Rizal and San Jose City.

The turn-over was part of the 2,000 head dairy buffaloes infused in the country early last year as an important component of the overall national carabao genetic improvement program. (Franco G. Regala)

San Pedro awards citizens
SAN PEDRO, Laguna — The San Pedro Municipal Government awarded the ten outstanding citizens and top fifty taxpayers for 2010 during the town’s “Gabi ng Parangal” held at Bellevue Hotel in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Abbey Manas, head of Public Affairs Information Office (PAIO) said the award for outstanding San Pedronians were given to Ambassador Belen Fule Anota, assistant secretary for strategic planning and policy coordination of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), singer and song writer Rico Blanco; country's premiere Soprano Rachelle Gerodias; Dr. Lorenzo Rommel Guevarra Cariño; Caesarson O. Bismonte; Felisa Velonza; Chief Superintendent Melito M. Mabilin,director of the PNP National Operations Center in Camp Crame; Macario V. Tagum; Estrella Relunia ; and Atty. Apolonio Anota. (Ferdinand Castro)

Pampanga monitors river
SAN FERNANDO CITY — Pampanga Governor Lilia “Nanay Baby” G. Pineda Wednesday expressed alarm and dismay over growing toxic waste problems in the province.

The governor also instructed concerned agencies and Pampanga police officials headed by Edgardo Tinio Provincial Director of Pampanga Provincial Police Office (PPPO) to create a special garbage task force and immediately deploy undercover cops to protect the Pampanga River from garbage violators, reiterating the need to crackdown on those disposing waste into the river. (Franco Regala)

P.N.P.  plants trees
CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet — Police authorities and operatives here planted trees as their simple but meaningful way of commemorating the 25th anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution and their contribution for the preservation and protection of the region’s environment.

Around 50 pine tree and Arabica coffee seedlings were planted by the police in the premises of the 8-hectare police camp here as part of their activities to commemorate the EDSA People Power Revolution. (Dexter A. See)

Mild quake hits Ilocos Sur
SINAIT, Ilocos Sur — A pre- dawn tectonic mild quake with magnitude 2.6 in the ritcher scale shook the province of Ilocos Sur today (Wednesday) but no reported damage and no recorded aftershocks, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) satellite based here. (Freddie Lazaro)