VIGAN CITY — Senator Chiz Escudero expressed Monday his warmest welcome to the appointment of Lieutenant General Eduardo Oban Jr. as the new Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP ) Chief of Staff (COS) following the retirement of the outgoing AFP Chief, General Ricardo David.

General Oban will formally assume immediately his post as new AFP Chief of Staff after the turn-over ceremony held today at Camp Aguinaldo.

“I do not personally know Lt. Gen. Oban, but his appointment from among equally deserving list of men is a well needed transfusion to the country's armed troops whose morale dropped given previous allegations and exposes in the military by certain officers,” Escudero said in a press statement received Monday here. (Freddie G. Lazaro)

P10-million medical facility
CAMP DANGWA, La Trinidad, Benguet — A P10 million medical facility is expected to rise in this police headquarters to help enhance the provision of health services to members of the Philippine National Police (PNP), their relatives and the residents within its environs.

This developed as police and health officials conducted the groundbreaking ceremony here Monday to signal the start of the new project of the Police Regional Office (PRO) in the Cordillera in order to provide more services to its personnel and the community. (Dexter See)

Dagupan Bangus Fest underway
DAGUPAN CITY — Mayor Benjamin S. Lim, again clarified statement that only government sanctioned festival here is the Bangus Festival 2011, and warned that any festival similar to Bangus Festival will be taken out from the streets.

“There is only one government sanctioned Bangus Festival in the city. Therefore, any use of the public place, street for such sponsorship will be taken out by the city government of Dagupan,” said Lim.

The Bangus Festival is now on its ninth year and it continues to endure and stay like the Panagbenga in Baguio City, the Sinulog of Cebu, Maskara of Bacolod and Dinagyang of Iloilo. (Liezle Basa Inigo )

Laguna security tightened
CAMP GEN. VICENTE LIM, Laguna — The Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces officials in Southern Tagalog Region are steering their anti-criminality and internal security drive towards a new strategy that will foster a stronger ties and encourage the proactive participation of the community in winning peace and attaining a safer region to live, work and do business.

Chief Superintendent Samuel D Pagdilao Jr., Police Regional Office (PRO) 4-A director and Army 2nd Infantry Division chief, Major General Jesse Dellosa, along with other AFP units, recently met in Camp Capinpin, in Tanay, Rizal to fine-tune the shift of strategy that will guide all commanders. (Ferdinand Castro)