TANAY, Rizal, Philippines — The Rizal provincial government contemplated on the “Ondoy tragedy” which struck exactly two years ago Monday with an activity that will benefit the environment.

Rizal Governor Casimiro “Junjun” Ynares, III and other provincial officials and employees trooped to this town’s mountains to plant trees to show respect for “Mother Nature.”

The activity was dubbed as the “Luntiang Rizal” tree planting program coinciding with the Save Sierra Madre Day in a bid to address the problem on denuded forests blamed as the main cause for severe flooding in the lowlands. (Nel B. Andrade)

Pineda lauds 2011 TOSP awardee

SAN FERNANDO CITY, Pampanga — Governor Lilia G. Pineda lauded Monday a local boy from San Luis town who made it among the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP) for 2011. Pineda cited Geminn Louis C. Apostol, for his valuable achievement in bringing pride and honor to his Cabalens, fellow citizens of Pampanga.

Apostol, hails from Poblacion in Barangay Sta. Cruz, San Luis and is a Magna Cum Laude (BS Health Science) graduate from the Ateneo de Manila University. San Luis Mayor Venancio Macapagal led the thanksgiving and tribute party for Apostol last Saturday. (Franco G. Regala)

Blood donations from Southern Tagalog

CAMP GEN. VICENTE LIM, Laguna — A total of 132 bags of blood were donated during a bloodletting activity, here, recently.

The Police Regional Office (PRO) 4-A director headed by Chief Supt. Gil Meneses in in coordination with the Department of Health headed by DR. Marlene S. Ontog and the Philippine National Police (PNP) Ladies Club conducted the activity and donated the blood to DoH to meet the high demand and as part of humanitarian effort to provide safe blood for all who need it particularly dengue patients.

The 132 bags is equivalent to 49,950 cubic centimeters of blood extracted from police recruits in Southern Tagalog and civilian donors. (Ferdinand F. Castro)

‘Mabalacat to be a city'

MABALACAT, Pampanga —Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. expressed confidence Monday that the conversion of this town into a city is in the offing. Marcos, who is chairman of the Committee on Local Government, noted that House Bill 2509/4736 which seeks the conversion of Mabalacat into a component city will breeze into the Senate unopposed.

The Marcoses have an ancestral house in Barangay San Francisco, Mabalacat. Like Marcos, Mabalacat Mayor Marino “Boking” Morales believes the town is already ripe for cityhood. Morales also played down territorial disputes with Bamban, Tarlac as a potential hindrance to Mabalacat’s cityhood. (Franco G. Regala)

Pampanga eyes second state U

MAGALANG, Pampanga — The House of Representatives has approved House Bill 4405, converting the Pampanga Agricultural College (PAC) into a state university to be known as the Diosdado Macapagal Agriculture and Science State University (DMASSU).

This was revealed over the weekend by Pampanga 1st District Rep. Carmelo Lazatin, saying that the bill has been sent to the Senate for consolidation with the already-approved Senate version for final approval. Once approved, President Aquino is expected to sign the bill into law. The school is expected to become the second government-run university in Pampanga. (Mark Anthony N. Manuel)