ANGONO, Rizal, Philippines – The values of saving for the future and nurturing good partnerships were highlighted by Rizal Gov. Jun Ynares III as he spoke Friday before graduating Grade 6 students in this town over the weekend.

Ynares urged the graduates to always pray for their parents and be grateful to them for giving them daily allowance in the aim of seeing their children finishing school.

He stressed the importance of parents and children to have the right partnership like that of the Rizal provincial government’s relationship with localities of Rizal. (Nel B. Andrade)

Tagaytay set to draw 250,000

CAVITE – Despite Taal Volcano’s alert level, preparations are in place for the Holy Week pilgrimage of around 250,000 vacationers in Tagaytay City, officials said over the weekend.

Mayor Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino ordered police, the public safety office and other concerned local agencies to secure the city round-the-clock with the “oplan” (scheme) that they have hatched earlier.

This developed as Tagaytay Information Officer Lani Diesta said that the seismic activity, including the rumbling, at Taal Volcano in nearby Batangas province have not affected tourism, particularly the number of vacationers, in the city. (Anthony Giron)

127 more sitios energized

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – The management of the Benguet Electric Cooperative (BENECO) here announced that 127 more sitios in this vegetable-producing province were energized through the P100-million loan it acquired from the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to fully implement the government’s rural electrification program.

The newly energized sitios represents 90.8 percent of the total 134 sitios in the 12 out of the 13 towns which was programmed to be energized through the acquired loan two years ago. (Dexter A. See)

Sewage water seeps into river

DAGUPAN CITY— The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) reported yesterday fecal coliform has exceeded acceptable levels in the Sinocalan-Dagupan river system.

This report indicates sewage contamination, the DENR said in its 5th Stakeholders’ Meeting of the Sinocalan-Dagupan River Systems Water Quality Management Area (SDRS WQMA) recently.

The results were based on water sample studies conducted at 19 sampling stations along the rivers of Pangasinan from January to April. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)

La Union mall hit by fire

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – The second floor of the biggest shopping mall in La Union was razed by a late afternoon fire last Friday, it was reported.

Senior Inspector Lanie Carbonel, San Fernando City’s Fire Marshall of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), said that fire occurred at the second floor of the CSI shopping mall, originating in the appliances section around 5:30 p.m. The fire was contained four hours later with no casualties.

Arson probers are investigating a possible electrical short circuit as the cause of the blaze. (Freddie G. Lazaro)