SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ, Nueva Ecija – The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) based in this city has announced the construction of another anti-climate change station that will be located in the Bicol Region.

PhilRice has started the construction of its seventh station in Barangay Batang, Ligao City, Albay.

The government agency said that the said station would be equipped with technology and practices needed to mitigate the effects of climate change of farmers in Southern Luzon. (Mark Anthony N. Manuel)

P100-M factory fire in Bataan

BATAAN FREEPORT — More than P100 million worth of export products went up in smoke on Wednesday night when fire razed a factory involved in exports inside the Authority of Freeport Area of Bataan (AFAB).

No one was hurt in the eight-hour fire but up to 100 workers of Filpaak, company producing sando bags for the United States, are now jobless.

Plant Manager Roland Uy is now cooperating with arson investigators to establish the cause of the fire, after reports that explosions were heard inside the factory shortly before the fire, said Supt. Joel Tampis, Mariveles chief of police. (Mar T. Supnad)

14 injured as jeep crashes

LUCBAN, Quezon — Fourteen people were injured after the jeep they were riding in fell into a ravine in Sitio Ayos, Barangay May-it, this town last Wednesday afternoon.

The jeepney, with license plate DGG-607, was carrying around 30 people who had gone to Holy Mass in Pakil, Laguna and were on their way back to Lucena City when the accident happened at 4:15 p.m.

The injured were taken to the Tayabas Community Hospital in Tayabas, Quezon and the MMG General Hospital in Lucban. The driver, Pedro Villafuerte, told police the jeepney had lost its brakes. (Danny Estacio)

R.P.T.A. backed in Pangasinan

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan — Municipal assessors and treasurers in the whole province are supporting the provincial government on the implementation of the revised Real Property Tax Assessment (RPTA), it was learned yesterday.

This was established in a consultative meeting attended by Governor Amado T. Espino, members of the provincial board led by Vice Governor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim and all local government unit (LGU) assessors and treasurers.

The consultations were held at the Provincial Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council Office at the Narciso Ramos Sports and Civic Center (NRSCC) here. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)

2 brothers join in jail

CAMP GEN. VICENTE LIM, Laguna — Two brothers wanted for the murder of two people in Calamba City nearly five years ago, have been arrested by agents of Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in their safehouse in Barangay San Isidro, Cabuyao, this province, authorities said yesterday. Senior Superintendent Edwin Nemenzo, CIDG 4-A director identified the suspects as Hilacio Mercado and brother Renato, both residents of Barangay Banlic, Calamba City and tagged as primary suspects in the killing of Lauro Go and son Mark Jefferson in Calamba City on Oct. 7, 2006. (Ferdinand F. Castro)