LA TRINIDAD, Benguet, Philippines – Four scenic mountains in this vegetable-producing province have already been included as part of the over 100 mountains nationwide which will serve as the site of the simultaneous Freedom Climb on June 12, 2011.

The event is aimed at breaking the world record on the number of mountain climbers to trek mountains simultaneously in just 24 hours.

Apart from breaking the world record, the inclusion of the scenic Benguet Mountains in the Freedom Climb will also help promote the province as one of the major tourist destinations. (Dexter A. See)

Aquino to lead Kawit ceremony

President Benigno Simeon S. Aquino III will lead the 113th Araw ng Kalayaan (Independence Day) celebration at the historic General Emilio F. Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite.

It will be the first time in years that the country’s president will lead the Freedom Day program at the 165-year-old Aguinaldo ancestral house on Calle Real in Kaingin, Kawit.

It was Vice President Noli de Castro, Senator Ramon "Bong” Revilla Jr. and Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato C. Corona who led the previous Independence Day celebrations at the Aguinaldo Mansion. (Anthony Giron)

Rizal trade fair, June 9

TAYTAY, Rizal – This province’s entrepreneurs are raring to showcase their products in a trade fair project of the provincial government and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) starting Thursday, June 9, in celebration of Rizal’s 110th founding anniversary.

This year’s trade event dubbed as Rizal Exporters and Manufacturer’s Fair-Alay sa Lalawigan will run from June 9 to 19 at the Event Center of SM Taytay.

Rizal Governor Casimiro “Jun” Ynares, III and Representative Joel Roy Duavit will lead local officials in the opening ceremony, which will also be attended by local officials of the province and participated in by some 50 small-and medium-scale entrepreneurs and exporters. (Nel B. Andrade)

2.8M fruit trees for CL

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — Some 2.8 million fruit-bearing and forest trees will be planted in the lowland and upland areas in seven provinces of Central Luzon under the National Greening Program (NGP) of President Aquino.

The NGP tree-planting project is the following area coverage: Bataan, 833 hectares.; Bulacan, 825 has.; Nueva Ecija, 1,204 has.; Tarlac, 936 has.; Zambales, 642 has.; Aurora, 484 has.; and Pampanga, 623 has.

Among the tree species to be planted are gemelina, mahogany, and bamboo order to address massive flooding and landslides in Luzon. (Franco G. Regala)

Ordinance bans Anda, Bolinao fish

DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan — After the reported fishkill in the towns of Anda and Bolinao in this province, the City Council here enacted Ordinance No. 448 “prohibiting the sale of double-dead meat and fish in the city of Dagupan and providing penalties for violations thereof.”

The city council on Monday made the move following the entry of fishkill-affected “bangus” or milkfish from the towns of Anda and Bolinao last week. Councilor Jesus Canto, committee chairman on health and sanitation, said the ordinance is necessary to make those responsible for transporting double-dead fish into the city accountable. (Liezle Basa Iñigo)