CASIGURAN, Aurora, Philippines – Coconut water from the Philippines has been selling like hot cakes abroad. The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) announced that coconut water export increased by 315 percent for the first semester of this year. It said it expects that international demand for coco water will continue to rise as more and more people turn health conscious.

 PCA Administrator Euclides G. Forbes revealed that non-traditional coco export figures for the first semester showed a total of 7,500,742 liters of coconut water exported abroad. Countries where cocowater is in demand include those in Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific, Latin and Central America and Middle East. (Mark Anthony N. Manuel)

Review law on young misfits

ORION, Bataan — More residents of this town are seeking the amendment to the juvenile justice law, following the rising and alarming involvement of minors in heinous crimes.

Veteran newsman Danny Cumilang said the involvement of minors in serious crimes such as murder, rape and robberies is already alarming that lawmakers should immediately amend the law.

 This week, residents of this town were outraged by the gang rape of a 16-year-old girl by six boys aged between 15 and 18, said Chief Inspector Elmer C. Santiago, local chief of police. (Mar T. Supnad)

Nueva Ecija rice yield down

TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija — Rice production in Nueva Ecija province has gone down in the past weeks as a result of the adverse impact of back-to-back typhoons “Pedring” and “Quiel” which hit Luzon recently, state agriculturists reported Tuesday.

The typhoons have diminished the expected rice production of this so-called “rice granary of the Philippines” to 60 percent of what was originally expected, said Provincial Agriculture Officer Serafin Santos. Santos disclosed that city and municipal agriculturists assess that the province lost 300,923.35 metric tons in postal harvest, amounting to P3.63 billion, expecting P12 per kilo. (Franco G. Regala)

IT adoption grows in Luzon

CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — Global information technology (IT) firm IBM-Philippines Tuesday expressed pleasure over its strengthening presence in Central Luzon in support of transforming local business communities in the region.

In it recent IBM Comes To You (ICTY) event, IBM showcased its end-to-end solutions (hardware, software and service) that address many of the challenger facing businesses today, said IBM Spokesman Owen Cammayo. The interactive ICTY technology solutions seminar targets its new technology adoption in the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales. (Franco G. Regala)

Rosario peace, order gets boost

ROSARIO, Cavite — Superintendent Joseph S. Javier, local police chief, said Tuesday that the anti-crime program in this town is gaining headway, boosting peace and order here. Javier said his men have been working double-time to rid the streets of wanted individuals.

Just last Monday, Inspector Clarence John B. Erese arrested the No. 5 most wanted man in this town identified by Javier as Josefino Cortez Voluntad, 52. Voluntad, who is also known as “Pinong,” is wanted to appear before a court in Cavite City to face trial for a murder that happened in August last year. (Anthony Giron)