TABUK CITY, Kalinga, Philippines — The second batch of 106 dependents of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW) in the province got typhoon aid from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) to help them recover from the onslaught of previous calamities and bring back the vibrance of their living condition.

Wendy Marquez of OWWA Cordillera regional office led other OWWA staff in the two-day awarding of the checks at the Tabuk City multi-purpose hall recently.

Marquez said the P5,000 aid is under OWWA’s calamity assistance to children or direct kin of OFWs, who are active members of OWWA at the time of the calamity. (Dexter See)

Hydro plants approved
LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) recently allowed the operation of 10 small hydro power plants being managed by the Hydro Electric Development Corporation (HEDCOR), Inc. to boost the energy being produced and infused to the Luzon grid to help mitigate the serious negative effects of reported impending power outages next year.

With the renewal of the facilities certificates of compliance, the subsidiary of the Aboitiz Power Corporation reportedly retained the company’s right to sell energy to distribution utilities and industrial customers and trade in the wholesale electricity spot market. (Dexter See)

Subic-Clark regulations
CLARK FREEPORT — The Subic-Clark Alliance for Development (SCAD) is set to speed up harmonization of policies and regulations between the Subic Bay Freeport (SBF) and Clark Freeport Zone (CFZ).

This was announced by SCAD Chairman Nestor S. Mangio on the heels of a recent meeting of the Central Luzon Regional Development Council (RDC-III), where the draft Central Luzon Medium Term

Regional Development Plan 2011-2016 (MTRDP) was presented, which underscored among others, the need for integrated land, air and sea transport modes. SCAD has been a member of RDC-III since 2006. (Jonas Reyes)

Ninoy's statue moved
CAVITE — The life-size statue of the late Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. was temporarily removed at Tagaytay City rotunda to have its base repaired following a truck accident last week.

The senator-martyr’s gold-painted statue with yellow foundation stands prominently at the rotunda at Silang Crossing intersection.

The foundation was destroyed by a 10-wheeler truck which accidentally romped in the Circle last March 1.

Information and Tourism Officer Leilani D. Diesta, in an interview Thursday, said that the two decade old Ninoy image would be reinstalled as soon as its foundation has been repaired. (Anthony Giron)

Pasturing on roads controlled
TINOC, Ifugao — With the road openings leading to this once isolated Ifugao town and greatly contributing to its development process, robust growth of grasses along the newly constructed roads also followed where people pasture their animals.

Grazing of these animals along the roads, in school grounds and pathways give more convenience to the people to earn additional income aside from vegetable gardening but it also give problems to vehicles travelling the route where the ruminants are pastured.