LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines — The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) updated Monday its list of higher learning institutions increasing tuition for this school year from 12 to 11 as the Baguio College of Technology (BCT) decided not to increase its tuition and other school fees.

No additional school fees nor hike in its tuition was effected for school year 2011-2012 by the Baguio College of Technology, giving due concern to the plight of students and parents in these hard times.

CHEd officials said there is no hindrance in the implementation of tuition hikes in 11 other private institutions that had completed the processes required by law relative to their fee adjustments. (Dexter A. See)

Quezon: fire hits Villa Escudero

TIAONG, Quezon — Fire hit world-class tourist destination Villa Escudero Resort and Plantation, here around noon on Sunday, destroying one of its main function hall but, fortunately, not injuring any people.

Police Officer 3 Sherwin Bonsol said fire broke out at 12:40 p.m. at the Grand Pavilion of the resort while visitors were gathered for the Feast of the Ascension celebration at the nearby Pag-Ibig Hall. Security and police helped firemen fight the flames for about two hours before it was declared out.

Fire Officer 1, Eugene Loyola, an arson investigator, said electrical short circuit might have caused the fire which destroyed up to P10 million worth of property. (Danny Estacio)

Quarry collections

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — More than a month short of one year, quarry collections under the administration of Governor Lilia G. Pineda hit P212,115,000.00 – a record by any standards.

Environment and Natural Resources Office (ENRO) Head Arthur F. Punsalan said his office which is in charge of quarry operations of Kapampangan A Lulugud at Matapat (KALAM) is impressed with the collection.

“There was proper and additional positioning of monitoring checkpoints; organized monitoring of quarry operators and KALAM checkers to eliminate recycling of official receipts and monitoring tickets,” Punsalan said. (Franco G. Regala)

Balanga bags 2011 Orchid Plum

BALANGA CITY, Bataan — This Component City bagged the “2011 DoH Orchid Award,” a yearly award granted by the Department of Health (DoH), for having a protected environment and smoke-free community.

The prestigious Orchid Award was received by Mayor Joet S. Garcia from top DoH officials at Crowne Plaza Galleria Manila last May 31.

Balanga was highly recommended last January by the Center for Health Development of Region 3 and validated last April for the city’s clean environment and smoke-free community. (Mar T. Supnad)

CAR provinces now FMD-free

BAGUIO CITY — The Paris-based Office Internal des Epizootis (OIE) recently declared the six provinces in the Cordillera, including this mountain resort city, as among the local governments in the country free from the proliferation of the dreaded foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) that usually attacks livestock and poses danger to the health of consumers.

Apayao, Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province, other provinces in Luzon were declared by the OIE as FMD-free, making livestock and pork products from the region exportable to neighboring Asian countries. (Dexter A. See)