SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Philippines — Officials and employees of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) quietly observed the 20th anniversary of the Philippine Senate’s rejection of the extension of the US military’s stay.
According to SBMA Administrator Armand Arreza, the rejection of the US bases agreement was a “make or break” situation for the country since most of the residents in the adjacent communities near the US Naval base relied heavily on the employment generated by the military base.

“But it only proved that the Filipino spirit is resilient, even in the midst of the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo and the pull out of the Americans in Subic, the Filipinos showed that they can survive,” Arreza said. (Jonas Reyes)

Adopting rivers

CALAMBA CITY, Laguna — The City Government of Calamba signed last afternoon a memorandum of agreement (MoA) with public and private sectors for the rehabilitation of rivers and a creek as a part of the city's “Adopt a River Project.” More than 50 companies, 33 villages, schools and hospitals gathered at SM City's Atrium and signed their commitment to rehabilitate and maintain the three main waterways of the city — San Juan river, San Cristobal river, and the Baranca De Sipit creek.

The City Environmental and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) will provide technical support including its expertise for all activities in line with the protection and conservation of waterways. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

Peaceful Aurora

BALER, Aurora — Aurora has remained the most peaceful province in Central Luzon, the Philippine National Police (PNP) here said.

The province has reported the least number of crimes in the region, which did not even reach 1,000 cases. According to records of the Regional Police Office in Central Luzon, Aurora has posted only 991 cases of crimes in the region, representing 4 percent of the total number of crimes from January to July this year in Region 3.

Governor Bellaflor Angara-Castillo said, “We should be proud of the PNP report.” (Mark Anthony N. Manuel)

Surpassing target

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region 3 director Remedios Ongtangco Friday said the fish and aquatic resources production in Central Luzon improved in the second quarter of the year and indications show the region could surpass the P50-billion year-end target.

Ongtangco said production from April to June increased by 3.36 percent compared to the same period last year. He said Central Luzon would beat last year’s P47-billion earnings on marine produce and exceed the P50-billion target this year. He said the region has become the country’s top producer of sugpo (tiger prawn), alimango (mud crab) and tilapia, and second in bangus (milkfish). (Franco G. Regala)

Chalk holiday

PANGASINAN — Teachers in the province were unaware of the chalk holiday declared by the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) but said the objective of the protest to increase allowances for check was good. Calasiao Central School District 1 principal Roberto Barongan said it would be okay if teachers were given an additional P1,500 for chalks as present allocations of chalk was not enough.

Butch Velasco, provincial information officer, said no public teachers in Pangasinan participated in the chalk holiday. (Liezle Basa Inigo)